College Sports

NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The UT Tyler men's cross country team will start the 2008 season as the No. 1 team in the South/Southeast region, according to the preseason regional rankings released by the United State Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Coming in second in the poll was one of two teams who beat out the Patriots by a point at last year's NCAA Regionals, Emory. The other team that advanced to nationals over UT Tyler in that meet, Rhodes, came in at seventh.

One of the Patriots' foes at this year's Texas Division III State Championship on Sept.27, Trinity, was voted as the ninth best team in the region. Rounding out the poll was UT Tyler's American Southwest Conference rival, McMurry, in 10th.

The Patriots' top ranking can no doubt in part be attributed to the fact that they return six of seven members of last year's regional third place team, in addition to adding four fresh faces.

UT Tyler will kick-off its 2008 season on Friday when the Patriots travel to Waco to compete in the Bear Twilight Invitational. Last season, UT Tyler came in sixth at the same meet, beating out Division I teams Texas Christian and Houston as well as Division II Dallas Baptist.