Mars Hill selected ninth in SAC preseason poll

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) - Queens was voted as the favorite to win the 2018 South Atlantic Conference Women's Cross Country title for the second year in a row, the league office announced today.

The Royals, who won back-to-back SAC titles in 2016 and 2017, received 10 first place votes and tallied 110 points in the poll. The defending NCAA Southeast Region Champions, return seven all-conference performers, including SAC Runner of the Year Hannah Wolkenhauer and Freshman of the Year Gillian Kasitz.

Anderson, No. 2 in the poll, snagged the lone remaining first-place nod and collected 98 points. The Trojans return three all-conference runners from last year's SAC runner-up squad, including first team All-SAC performer Allyson Malone.

Wingate made it close at No. 3 with 94 points. The Bulldogs also claimed third in the 2017 SAC Championships.

Catawba claimed fourth in the preseason poll with 75 points. Lincoln Memorial and Lenoir-Rhyne tied for fifth with 71 points in the poll.

Tusculum took the No. 7 spot with 54 points. Carson-Newman was No. 8 in the poll, earning 49 points from the coaches.

In the No. 9 spot was Mars Hill with 33 points, while Coker (29 points) and Newberry (22 points) wrapped up the preseason standings at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively.

Overall, fifteen of the top 21 runners from last year's SAC Championship are returning for the 2018 season.

The 2018 season will get underway for all SAC teams on Friday, Aug. 31.

2018 SAC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL