NT Women Picked To Repeat As Conference Champs
5/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field/XC
The Sun Belt Conference men's and women's track and field coaches predict that Middle Tennessee's men's team and the North Texas women's team will come away with conference championship titles this weekend in Denton, Texas.
The North Texas women picked up 92 points and four first-place votes and are seeking their first back-to-back titles in school history. On the men's side North Texas was tabbed to finish in fifth place. The Mean Green are going after their third outdoor title in the last five years.
The Blue Raiders, featuring 2003 outdoor national champion sprinter Mardy Scales, picked up 77 points and seven first-place votes in the pre-championship coaches poll. MT has won the Sun Belt outdoor title once before in 2001, its second season of Sun Belt outdoor competition. \
The championship meet, sponsored by T.G.I. Friday's, begins on Friday, May 7 at 9:30 a.m. with the first day of decathlon competition. All events will take place at Fouts Field on the campus of the University of North Texas.
2004 Men's Pre-championship Coaches Poll
Rank School Points
1. Middle Tennessee 77 (7)
2. Western Kentucky 69 (2)
3. Louisiana-Lafayette 60
4. Arkansas State 53
5. North Texas 48
6. South Alabama 37
7. Arkansas-Little Rock 28
8. Florida International 17
9. New Orleans 16
2004 Women's Pre-championship Coaches Poll
Rank School Points
1. North Texas 92 (4)
2. Middle Tennessee 81 (4)
3. Western Kentucky 75
4. New Mexico State 71 (2)
5. South Alabama 62
6. Florida International 50
7. Louisiana-Lafayette 39
8. Arkansas State 37
9. New Orleans 18
10. Arkansas-Little Rock 15