PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Tulsa and SMU headlined the eight American Athletic Conference teams selected to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Regional Rankings, as announced on Monday.
 
USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning teams strength with current season results (if applicable) in determining predicted team finishes at the NCAA Regional Championships.
 
Tulsa – the men’s defending American Athletic Conference Champion – earned a No. 3 ranking in the Midwest Region, the highest ranking of all of the schools in the conference. Houston is ranked No. 10 in the South Central Region and Temple is ranked No. 15 in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
 
SMU is the highest ranked women’s team coming in at No. 4 in the South Central Region. Defending champion Tulsa is ranked No. 5 in the Midwest Region. Houston (No. 11, South Central Region), Tulane (No. 13, South Central Region) and UConn (No. 15, Northeast Region), are the other three teams ranked on the women’s side.
 
The American Athletic Conference season begins on Thursday, September 1, with Cincinnati, SMU and Tulsa all in action.
 
CLICK HERE for the entire preseason regional rankings