Syracuse men’s cross country tops ACC Preseason Poll, SU women place 13th
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Syracuse men’s cross country placed first in the Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Poll, which released Tuesday. The Orange’s 269 points, along with six first-place votes, gave them the edge for the top spot over Wake Forest, which received the same point total with five first-place votes. Meanwhile, the women’s side placed 13th with 124 points.
SU’s men’s team was picked sixth in the conference last year and exceeded expectations, finishing second at the ACC Championship and missing out on first by four points to Virginia. The Cavaliers slot in at fourth with 216 points, sandwiched between third-place Notre Dame (234) and fifth-place Louisville (214).
Helmed by head coach Brien Bell, the reigning ACC Coach of the Year, and 2025 All-ACC runner Benne Anderson, Syracuse is positioned to claim an ACC Championship for the first time since 2019.
Although the women’s team didn’t crack the top 10, it topped SMU (91), California (64), Pittsburgh (55), Georgia Tech (47) and Miami (19). Meanwhile, defending conference champions NC State received all 18 first-place votes, commanding the rankings with 324 points. Notre Dame (305), North Carolina (271), Stanford (270) and Virginia (253) round out the top five.
Last season, the Orange women were projected to finish middle of the pack, placing 10th in the preseason poll, but ultimately finished in the same spot as Tuesday’s ranking. SU enters with a young squad, featuring no seniors and just eight juniors. All-ACC junior and Benne’s sister, Selma Anderson, is set to pave the way for the Orange this season.
Last season, both teams opened with wins at the Harry Lang Invitational, and they’ll look to replicate that success when they return to Colgate for the event on Sept. 5.
