SEC Cross Country is stacked and full of talented teams; Ole Miss is no exception. Both the men’s and women’s teams look to compete for a championship this year.
This year, SEC Cross Country consists of 14 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams. The championship race will take place on Oct. 31.
While Arkansas was the men’s team champion and Alabama was the women’s champion last year, Ole Miss had an impressive season with the men finishing at No. 3 and the women finishing at No. 6. Here is a look at where Ole Miss ranks in the SEC and where their top competitors fall.
Ole Miss
Photos by Reed Jones/Ole Miss Athletics
Once again, the No. 3 Ole Miss Men’s team have a great shot at winning the SEC, and this is largely due to three athletes that return from last season’s NCAA National Championship race: Toby Gillen, Evan Thornton-Sherman and Gabe Scales.
On the other side, the No. 12 Ole Miss Women’s team has a lot of work to do. A No. 12 ranking is to be expected, as Ole Miss has lots of new freshmen and some transfer students, including three ladies from Tennessee. When Coach Adam Smith spoke to The Daily Mississippian earlier this season, he said the ladies will catch the SEC by surprise. Expect the Rebel women to move up in the rankings as the season goes on.
Alabama
Alabama’s No. 1 ranking for the men is fitting. They were runner ups at last year’s SEC race, and this year, their team remains largely the same. The top ranking for the women seems a bit high considering their third and fourth runners transferred away to Missouri and Colorado.
Arkansas
The No. 2 Arkansas Razorbacks return as the defending SEC champs, but with only two runners returning from that championship squad last year, this ranking feels a bit high. Most of the Arkansas team this year is either freshman or sophomores.
The No. 3 Arkansas ladies look to improve upon their No. 4 place finish last year. Recent results from the Mizzou 5K show that the ladies consistently moved up together as a pack, and they return three of their Top 4 runners.
Missouri
The No. 5 Tigers are on pace to be a fantastic team this season, returning all but one runner from last year’s SEC championship race. The Mizzou Women’s team ranks No. 7 which is a fitting evaluation.
Oklahoma and Tennessee
With four Kenyans rostered, and a veteran squad, experience seems to be the main thing that will help the No. 5 Sooners build upon last year’s No. 9 place finish.
The No. 9 Oklahoma Women’s team has a team structured very similar to the men. Interestingly enough, both the men and the women teams will go their separate ways and compete at different meets all season.
The Tennessee Men’s team finished No. 6 last year at SECs, and they enter the new season with the same ranking. This is interesting because seven out of the 11 rostered guys are listed as freshmen. The Tennessee Women’s team is not far behind at No. 10.
Texas A&M
The No. 7 Aggie Men’s team has a good roster this year, but without star runners, they seem more like a middle of the pack team. The No. 5 Texas A&M Women’s team recently swept the John McKenzie invite with a perfect 15 points.
Florida
The Florida Gators Men’s team were No. 12 last year, and come into the season ranked at No. 11. With only freshmen and sophomores listed on the Gators squad this year, the evaluation feels on par. The Florida women at No. 2 are a different story though.
Mississippi State
State only features a women’s cross country team. The Bulldog Women’s team ranks No. 6 this season after their No. 11 place finish last year. Mississippi State ran well at the recent Memphis Twilight Invite and won the meet narrowly over Ole Miss. State is led by Nelly Jemeli, who set the Mississippi State 5K program record at that Memphis invite.
South Carolina
No. 9 South Carolina’s ranking improved greatly after a No. 14 place finish last year. With some solid freshmen and sophomores that return after running well in 2024, the Gamecocks look to exceed expectations. The Gamecocks also do not have a men’s team.
Rankings for all cross country teams and the rest of the SEC are available here.
