Dec. 23, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s track and field program was ranked sixth in the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) indoor preseason poll, the association released this week.

Carolina has finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Indoor Championships each of the past eight seasons, including a tenth place finish last season. The Gamecocks are among seven Southeastern Conference schools ranked in the poll (Top 25), led by 2007 national runner-up LSU. Defending champion Arizona State is ranked second, followed by Tennessee, Michigan and Stanford.

The Gamecocks return two indoor All-Americans in sophomores Krystal Cantey and Brandi Cross. Both were members of the 4x400m relay team that won the national championship with a time of 3:29.57.

The indoor season kicks off for South Carolina Jan. 11 against Denison at Disney World. The NCAA Indoor Championships this season will be held March 14-15 in Fayetteville, Ark.

USTFCCCA Division I Women’s Indoor Preseason Rankings
1. LSU
2. Arizona State
3. Tennessee
4. Michigan
5. Stanford
6. South Carolina
7. Texas Tech
8. Texas A&M
9. Arkansas
10. Virginia Tech
11. Texas
12. Penn State
13. Florida
14. UCLA
15. Minnesota
16. North Carolina
17. Ole Miss
18. Villanova
19. California
20. Southern Illinois
21. Hampton
22. BYU
23. Georgia
24. Iowa
25. Illinois