RICHARDSON, TX (08.28.19) - The UT Dallas women's cross country program has been picked to finish third in the American Southwest Conference the fall, according to a preseason poll of the league's head coaches.

After back-to-back ASC titles in 2016 and 2017, the Comets slipped to third place at last year's championship. UTD received third first-place votes in Wednesday's poll, finishing with 98 points in a close three-team race atop the voting. Last year's runner up McMurry is the favorite to claim the crown in 2019, picking up three first-place nods for 109 points. Hardin-Simmons, the 2018 champion, was just one point behind McMurry in second place, collecting five first-place votes.

East Texas Baptist finished fourth in the voting with 83 points while LeTourneau was a close fifth at 81 points. Mary Hardin-Baylor (70) was sixth, Concordia Texas (60) seventh, Ozarks (44) eighth, Sul Ross State (27) ninth, Belhaven (25) 10th and Louisiana College (21) 11th.

The Comets open the 2019 season Friday at the Hardin-Simmons Invitational in Abilene.