CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga women's cross country team was selected to finish third in the Southern Conference Preseason Poll released Wednesday afternoon. The men were picked to finish seventh.
 
The UTC women received 63 points in the voting behind Furman who picked up 81 points and nine first place votes. Samford got the final first place vote and 71 points for second. Behind the Mocs is ETSU with 56 points, Mercer (46), Western Carolina (44), UNCG (36), VMI (23), Wofford (19) and The Citadel with 11 points.
 
The women return all-conference performer Maddie Wheatcroft who helped the Mocs to a third place finish at the 2024 SoCon championships. Also on the roster for the Mocs is Leah Boyd, Brooke Tyll, Andrea Ellis and Lexi Foxey. Also making a return to the lineup is all-freshman team selection Ellie von Herrmann.
 
The Mocs picked up 41 points to finish seventh in the polling, one point behind sixth place ETSU (42) and three behind Mercer with 45 points for fifth. Furman received nine first place votes and 81 points while Western Carolina is second with one top vote and 65 points. Samford is picked to place third with 52 points followed by UNCG with 56. Behind the Mocs is VMI (28), Wofford (19) and The Citadel (11).
 
Jack Martin, the Mocs lone member of the SoCon All-Conference First Team last season, returns to lead Chattanooga on the course. He, along with Derek Mitchell, Riley Hanson and Ian Etheridge, helped the Mocs to a fifth place finish in last season's conference championship.
 
Chattanooga opens the season August 29 at the Tennessee Cross Country Invitational at the Cherokee Farms Course in Knoxville.
 
2025 Southern Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll 
Team (1st-place votes) Points 

1. Furman (9) - 81 
2. Western Carolina (1) - 65 
3. Samford - 62  
4. UNC Greensboro - 56 
5.  Mercer - 45  
6. ETSU - 42  
7. Chattanooga - 41  
8. VMI - 28  
9. Wofford - 19  
10. The Citadel - 11 

2025 Southern Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll 
Team (1st-place votes) Points 

1. Furman (9) - 81 
2. Samford (1) - 71  
3. Chattanooga - 63 
4. ETSU - 56  
5. Mercer - 46 
6. Western Carolina - 44 
7. UNC Greensboro - 36 
8. VMI - 23 
9. Wofford - 19  
10.  The Citadel - 11 

 
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