Lions Fifth in Region in Preseason Poll

NEW ORLEANS, LA.— Mars Hill's men's cross country team is ranked fifth in the Southeast Region in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Poll, which was released Tuesday.

Last season, the Lions captured their 16th-consecutive South Atlantic Conference title and placed fourth in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championship. MHU returns two All-Region performers- sophomores Alex Griggs and Cesar Reyes. Six Lions that earned All-SAC recognition return. Mars Hill will open their season Sep. 6 at the Eye Opener in Spartanburg, S.C. Race time is set for 6:30 p.m.

Griggs turned in the 16th-best time in the nation by a freshman at the NCAA Championships last season. He placed fifth in the Southeast Regionals. Griggs earned SAC Freshman of the Year honors at the SAC Championships.

Reyes placed 13th at the Southeast Regional to earn All-Region honors last year. Reyes turned in the third-best time at the SAC Championships on his way to First-Team All-SAC honors.

Brady Adcock is final First-Team All-SAC returner on the Lions roster. He placed seventh at the SAC Championship meet.

That trio is joined by returning Second-Team All-SAC members Carter Benge and Kiel Bollero. Chase Shermer also returns after earning SAC All-Freshman honors last season. 

Mars Hill is ranked second among SAC teams in the Southeast Region poll. Conference-newcomer Queens is ranked fourth. The Royals are the host team for the regional, which is held at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte. Wingate (9th) and Lenoir-Rhyne (10th) are also ranked in the poll.

Click Here for USTFCCCA Rankings

USTFCCCA rankings are determined subjectively by a single-member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning team strength with current-season results in determining predicted finish in the NCAA Regional Championships.

The top three teams in the Southeast Regional Championship receive automatic-qualifying bids to the NCAA Championships. This year's Championship race will be held in Spokane, Wash.