ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Anderson men's track and field team has been tabbed to finish sixth in the South Atlantic Conference Coaches Preseason Poll, as released by the conference office early Tuesday afternoon.
Defending conference champion Queens has been picked to win the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship as voted by the league's head coaches. The Royals picked up five top votes and received 54 points from the panel.
Queens won the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Men's Outdoor Track & Field title by 17 points as the Royals turned in a score of 178 points.
Wingate finished second in the poll with 47 points. The Bulldogs placed second in last year's SAC Championship as they picked up 161 points. Carson-Newman and Mars Hill finished tied for third in the voting with 41 points to round out the top four. The Eagles collected two first-place votes in the poll and finished fourth overall a season ago as it notched 96 points at last year's championship. Mars Hill placed third at the SAC Championships a year ago as it collected 100 team points.
Lenoir-Rhyne came in fifth in the voting with 35 points. Anderson was voted sixth in the poll with 27 points, while Coker landed at the No. 7 slot with 17 points. Lincoln Memorial placed eighth in the poll with 13 points and Brevard finished up the poll at No. 9 as it picked up 5 points.
Anderson's Chris Burton, Mason Hazel and Brelyn Barclay have all been named to the SAC Preseason Watch List, as Burton claimed second place in both the 200 meters and 100 meters at the 2015 SAC Championships. Hazel has been an NCAA Provisional Qualifier in both the mile and 5000 meters and Barclay holds the school record in the high jump at 1.96 meters.
Anderson opened its outdoor season last weekend and will get
back in action Saturday at the Wingate Invitational.
2016 Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes) -
Points
1. Queens (5) 54
2. Wingate 47
3. Carson-Newman (2) 41
Mars Hill 41
5. Lenoir-Rhyne 35
6. Anderson 27
7. Coker 17
8. Lincoln Memorial 13
9. Brevard 5
