SEC has new elite among runners

For the past 17 years, the only drama at the SEC men's cross-country meet was who would finish second behind Arkansas.

The 8,000-meter race will be run Monday at Starkville, Miss., with a new plot line:

Who has the fastest Africans?

When Arkansas coach John McDonnell retired last spring, he left a legacy of 11 NCAA cross-country championships and a perfect run of 17 SEC titles since the Razorbacks joined the league in 1991.

On paper at least, the 2008 crown appears to be a battle between No. 5-ranked Alabama and No. 11 Auburn, both of whom lean heavily on African runners.

Tennessee coach George Watts, meanwhile, doesn't know quite what to make of post-McDonnell Arkansas. The new coach is Chris Bucknam, who ran a powerhouse program at Northern Iowa.

"They've still got some guys there on campus who haven't shown up in races,'' Watts said. "Either they've held guys out just waiting for the conference meet or that's all they've got.

"But I don't see them being any better than third.''

Watts sees the Vols, who finished fourth in 2007, being "about fifth" on paper.

Andrew Press, Michael Spooner, Steve Tobin and Chris Rapp project to be in the Vols' top five. Press and Tobin earned All-SEC honors last year.

Michael Brodsky has scored in three of four meets. Freshmen Chris Bodary and Ryan Beabout will have to show up strong in their first SEC meet to crack the scoring chart.

Last year, five of the top 10 SEC men's finishers were African. This year, seven of the top times have come from African runners - four from Alabama and three from Auburn.

Six of the seven are Kenyans, the other is an Ethiopian.

"Alabama's been recruiting Kenyans for eight or nine years,'' Watts said. "Auburn has just kind of jumped into it.''

Tennessee is exploring the African connection. Watts said he has recruited Africans and will continue to do so.

Bowman Contends: UT's senior Sarah Bowman is poised for a big finish in her final SEC women's meet. She has the No. 2 6,000-meter time in the conference. Bowman has finished fourth, seventh and sixth, respectively, the past three years.

Arkansas is favored to defend its women's title. The Lady Vols, who had a three-peat reign from 2003-05 and finished second last year, are hoping for a top-three finish.

Senior Katie Van Horn will make the trip but there is still question whether a sore foot will allow her to compete for the first time this season. Van Horn was seventh last year, earning All-SEC.

Also competing are Jackie Areson, Brittany Sheffey, Rolanda Bell, Phoebe Wright and freshmen Ally Colvin, Chanelle Price, Elizabeth Altizer and Elizabeth Tiller.