Sports briefs

Cross Country

The New Mexico men’s and women’s cross country teams were ranked 17th and 11th, respectively, in the preseason National Coaches Poll on Tuesday.

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced the rankings.

For the men, it’s the seventh-straight year the team is ranked in the preseason poll. It’s the seventh-straight season that the women have received votes in the poll, as well.

Only 10 other Division I teams aside from the Lobos have both their men’s and women’s teams ranked in the top 20. The other teams are Arkansas, Colorado, Oregon, Oklahoma State, Providence, Stanford, Syracuse, Villanova, Virginia and Wisconsin.

UNM begins its season with the Lobo Invitational on Saturday.

Tennis

The U.S. Tennis Association announced Friday that UNM’s tennis program will receive $30,000 in USTA Facility Grant funds.

According to the release, the USTA Facility Assistance Program looks to provide communities access to safe, appealing and functional tennis environments.

UNM just finished building the McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium this summer with $1.2 million in private donations. The grant will help the Lobos to endorse the new courts.

“We’re so excited about this grant,” UNM interim men’s tennis coach Bart Scott said in a release. “We want to thank the USTA, especially the facilities team, for this generous grant. With the USTA grant — and, in our opinion, the top collegiate tennis center in our region — the dream of hosting major college, junior, adult and professional tournaments at UNM is shaping up to become a reality.”

The Lobos are scheduled to host the 2014 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Women’s Mountain Regionals in October and the 2015 Mountain West Tennis Championships in April.