SYRACUSE, N.Y. – After earning the top rankings in the northeast regional preseason poll, the Syracuse University men and women's cross country teams have each been ranked ninth in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason National rankings.

At this time last season, the women were ranked 23rd, while the Orange men did not appear in the top-thirty. The Orange women remained in the top-thirty throughout 2009 and moved up to the number 10 spot for three consecutive weeks. The men soon broke into the rankings in week two earning the 11th spot and reached their peak in ninth place in the Pre-NCAA rankings. 

The Orange finished the 2009 season with both programs setting SU standards. At the 2009 NCAA Championship, the Orange women cracked the top 20 for the first time in program history, while the men earned 14th in its first visit to Nationals in 35 years. In only its second trip to the championship, the women finished 18th, improving on the 28th-place finish in 2008.