Photo by: Mike Scott
Both Orange Teams Tabbed in Top-4 of ACC Poll
9/8/2020 9:57:00 AM | Cross Country
With the men and women's cross country seasons set to begin soon, both Syracuse teams were picked as contenders in the ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Orange men look to defend their conference title and are ranked second heading into 2020 competition. The women were tabbed at No. 4 in the poll and will search for a sixth-straight top five finish at the ACC Championship.
The 2019 season saw a gutsy ACC victory for the men, the first conference title under now third-year head coach Brien Bell. The Orange earned the win by besting five teams ranked ahead of them in that week's USTFCCCA poll. Syracuse went on to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, placing second at the Northeast Regional.
The key to the 'Cuse men's success in 2019 was depth, with the top six-finishers in Blacksburg all earning ACC honors. Syracuse returns the bulk of its roster this season, including All-ACC performers Noah Beveridge, Joe Dragon, Nathan Henderson, Dominic Hockenbury and Nathan Lawler. In addition, Aidan Tooker, who was the Orange's top finisher in his lone race last fall and Michael Phillips, who missed the 2019 season, are back after injuries shortened their 2019 campaigns. Joey Eovaldi and Stephen Schulz, who also were on the team's ACC Championship roster, return this year as well.
The women's team are likely to be headlined again by returning All-ACC and All-Region performer Amanda Vestri. In addition, All-ACC runner Rachel Bonner and Laura Dickinson, who was the top 'Cuse finisher early in the year last year, are also on the 2020 roster, as well as Abigail Spiers, Kelsey Potts and Justus Holden-Betts off last year's NCAA Northeast Regionals roster.
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The 2019 season saw a gutsy ACC victory for the men, the first conference title under now third-year head coach Brien Bell. The Orange earned the win by besting five teams ranked ahead of them in that week's USTFCCCA poll. Syracuse went on to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, placing second at the Northeast Regional.
The key to the 'Cuse men's success in 2019 was depth, with the top six-finishers in Blacksburg all earning ACC honors. Syracuse returns the bulk of its roster this season, including All-ACC performers Noah Beveridge, Joe Dragon, Nathan Henderson, Dominic Hockenbury and Nathan Lawler. In addition, Aidan Tooker, who was the Orange's top finisher in his lone race last fall and Michael Phillips, who missed the 2019 season, are back after injuries shortened their 2019 campaigns. Joey Eovaldi and Stephen Schulz, who also were on the team's ACC Championship roster, return this year as well.
The women's team are likely to be headlined again by returning All-ACC and All-Region performer Amanda Vestri. In addition, All-ACC runner Rachel Bonner and Laura Dickinson, who was the top 'Cuse finisher early in the year last year, are also on the 2020 roster, as well as Abigail Spiers, Kelsey Potts and Justus Holden-Betts off last year's NCAA Northeast Regionals roster.
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