Lions Ranked Fourth in Southeast Region

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

The Lions have notched second-place finishes in both the Spartanburg Eye Opener and Hyder-McMahill Invitational. Mars Hill's top four runners have placed higher than any runner from another South Atlantic Conference school in each event. MHU has won 16-consecutive SAC titles. The Lions were ranked fifth in the Southeast Region in the USTFCCCA Preseason Poll.

Alex Griggs has led the team with a pair of second-place finishes that have earned him back-to-back SAC Runner of the Week honors. The sophomore was an All-Region performer last season and turned in the 16th-best time by a freshman in the nation at the National Championships.

Derek Gibson and Cesar Reyes have each added a pair of top 10 finishes for MHU this far. Brady Adcock has finished fourth among Lion runners in both races. These four runners have turned in better times than any runner from another SAC school at both events.

Mars Hill is the top-ranked SAC school in the poll. Queens (6th) and Wingate (9th) are also ranked.

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.

Mars Hill will compete in the Winthrop Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C. this Saturday, Sep. 21 at 9:00 a.m.