Sept. 2, 2004
San Diego's Women's Cross Country team was picked to finish seventh in the WCC preseason poll released on Thursday. The Toreros received 16 points in the poll and hope to improve on their sixth place finish last year. Leading the way for the Toreros will be Tiffanie Marley, the WCC Individual Champion from last season. All five of the top Torero finishers are returning from last year's team. Portland and Santa Clara tied for the top spot of the poll, each receiving 4 of the 8 first place votes. WCC Release:
PORTLAND AND SANTA CLARA TOP WCC PRESEASON CROSS COUNTRY POLLS San Bruno, Calif. - The University of Portland was tabbed to claim the 2004 men's cross country title, while Portland and Santa Clara split the vote to capture the women's title, as chosen by the WCC head coaches. Portland is the overwhelming favorite to win the men's competition, receiving the maximum of 49 points and all seven first place votes from the seven other WCC schools. The Santa Clara men received the one remaining first place vote. In the women's poll, both Portland and Santa Clara earned 46 points and received four first place votes. The Pilots have won the men's race 25 consecutive years, the longest streak in any sport in WCC history. Portland runners have also taken the top individual spot in as many years, with freshman Brett Carter taking home the title at the 2003 championship with a time of 25:42. In 2003, the Pilots recorded the top five fastest times and placed seven runners in the top 10, all receiving All-WCC honors. The Portland women, like their male counterparts, have dominated WCC cross country. The Pilots have won 14 of the last 19 women's championships the WCC has sponsored, including seven of the last eight. Santa Clara broke the Pilot's five-year winning streak in 2001 and finished second to Portland the past two years. In 2003, Portland placed five runners in the top 10 of the women's competition, while the Broncos landed four in the top 10 and five in the top 15. The Broncos return all five of those top finishers from a year ago and are led by sophomore Lauren Swigart, Santa Clara's fastest performer. Last year's women's race belonged to San Diego's Tiffanie Marley, who returns to defend her title in 2004. Marley finished with a time of 18:04, and was the first Torero woman to win the WCC title. Gonzaga is slated to finish second in the men's poll, while Santa Clara, who received the only other first place vote, is picked to finish in third. Loyola Marymount was tabbed fourth, with San Francisco taking fifth and Pepperdine coming in at sixth. San Diego and Saint Mary's round out the men's field in seventh and eighth place, respectively. Gonzaga was picked to finish third, behind Portland and Santa Clara in the women's poll. Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine share the fourth place spot. San Francisco, San Diego, and Saint Mary's earned sixth through eighth place, respectively. The 2004 WCC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship will take place on October 30 at Crystal Springs Cross Country Course in Belmont, CA. 2004 WCC Preseason Cross Country Poll Results (first place votes) Men
1. Portland (7) 49
2. Gonzaga 41
3. Santa Clara (1) 37
4. Loyola Marymount 31
5. San Francisco 22
6. Pepperdine 21
7. San Diego 12
8. Saint Mary's 11
Women
1. Portland (4) 46
Santa Clara (4) 46
3. Gonzaga 30
4. Loyola Marymount 28
Pepperdine 28
6. San Francisco 23
7. San Diego 16
8. Saint Mary's 7
