USTFCCCA Announcement

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Cross Country opens its season on Friday night and the men will be among the best teams in the nation to start the 2017 campaign as the Longhorns rank No. 30 in the USTFCCCA National Coaches Preseason Poll.

Last year, the Texas men finished 30th at the NCAA Championships and return three of the seven runners who competed in the final. With the addition of a strong recruiting class, the Longhorns look to make a push on the conference, regional and national level again in 2017.

Freshman Sam Worley was one of the top recruits in the nation. He is one of only seven high school runners all-time to run a sub-1:50 over 800 meters on the track and to run sub-9:00 in the 3,200 meters. Worley had an impressive senior season winning Texas 6A state titles in the 800 and 1,600. He also finished second at NXN and ninth at the Foot Locker National Championships for cross country. Connor O'Neill joins Worley as an incoming freshman and he finished 24th at NXN.

Junior Alex Rogers is a two-time all-region performer for the Longhorns and looks to provide leadership for the team. Connor Hendrickson was the team's top finisher at the NCAA Championships last year and also was an all-region runner two years ago as a freshman. Hendrickson also finished 15th at the Big 12 Championship last year to earn all-conference.

The Texas woman are receiving one vote in the preseason poll. Colorado's women are the preseason favorite and defending champion Northern Arizona is No. 1 for the men.

Texas opens its season on Friday when the Longhorns are set to run in the Aggie Opener. The Longhorns will take on seven other teams in the race hosted by the Texas A&M Aggies with the women's race to start at 6:45 p.m. from the Dale Watts Cross Country Course. The men will run at 7:15.