Women second; men sixth in cross-country preseason polls

Richmond has been selected to defend its Atlantic 10 women’s cross country title in voting conducted by the league’s head coaches.

The Spiders captured their second-ever league crown last season as it outdistanced runner-up Charlotte, 48-67. Picked second by the league’s head coaches, the 49ers will be anchored by 2008 individual champion Amanda Goetschius, who registered the third-fastest time (17:37.7) in the 20-year history of the championship.

The 49ers men’s cross country team was picked to finish sixth in the the league in a poll of A-10 coaches. Charlotte, which finished fourth at the 2008 championship, are led by first-year coach Ed Schlichter, who returns to his alma mater after spending the last two years at USC Upstate.

Schlichter has eight runners returning from last year’s squad, which is headlined by Adu Dentamo, who claimed the 2008 A-10 individual crown and earned all-region honors at the NCAA Regionals.