HOUSTON, TEXAS (Spetember 2, 2008) The defending 2007 Conference USA cross country champions, the Rice Owls, have been selected by the league's head coaches as the team to beat in 2008.Head coach Jim Bevan's squad received nine out of 12 first place votes.
The Owls, winners of two of the last three league titles, return a full squad from a year ago. Leading the Owls will be sophomores, Allison Pye and Becky Wade, who were both All-C-USA first-team members as freshmen in 2007.
Rice became the first program to win the triple crown in 2007, claiming conference championship titles in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. Only one other school (Western Kentucky) out of 32 conferences did what the Owls did.
Rice's remarkable 2007 season was highlighted by winning the NCAA South Central Regional title. The Owls' experienced team will be a positive factor in their attempt for back-to-back C-USA championships.
The 2008 C-USA Championship will take place on Nov. 1 at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Memphis, Tennessee.
2008 Conference USA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Rice
2. Tulsa
3. SMU
4. UAB
5. UTEP
6. Tulane
7. UCF
8. Memphis
9. East Carolina
10. Houston
11. Southern Miss
12. Marshall
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