ROCK HILL, S.C. – After winning the inaugural South Atlantic Conference Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship a year ago, Queens has been tabbed to defend its title in a vote by the league's head coaches, as announced by the conference Monday afternoon. The Royals picked up seven top votes and received 107 points from the panel.
Wingate, last year's preseason favorite, placed second in the poll with three first-place votes and 102 points, ahead of Lenoir-Rhyne, which garnered one first-place vote and notched 92 points. Carson-Newman landed at No. 4 with 76 points and Anderson rounded out the top five for the second straight year after capturing 64 points.
At No. 6 in the poll was Coker with 63 points, while Lincoln Memorial's 51 points was good for the No. 7 slot for the second consecutive year. Catawba came in at No. 8 as the Indians picked up 50 points. Tusculum was selected at the No. 9 position after receiving 48 points. Mars Hill was voted No. 10 with 37 points and Newberry rounded out the list with 25 points.
The 2019-19 South Atlantic Conference Indoor Track and Field season marks the second year for the sport in the South Atlantic Conference.
Seniors JoLyn Copeland and Madison Seay along with sophomore Olivia Evans were each named as "Athletes to Watch" following stellar performances a year ago.
Paced by the first-place women's distance medley relay team, which included Seay and Abigail Bozarth, the Trojans claimed fifth place at the 2017-18 SAC Championships. Buoyed by Seay and Jasmine Barmore, the 4x400 meter relay team also posted a strong showing with a second-place finish second in a time of 4:05.68.
Evans posted third-place finishes in both the 3,000 meter run and the 5,000 meter run, while Copeland finished fifth in the weight throw and claimed 15th in the women's shot put.
After opening the indoor slate at the JDL Kick-off Classic and the Clemson Opener in December, the Trojans are slated to get back in action on Jan. 18-19, at South Carolina's Gamecock Inaugural.
The 2019 SAC Indoor Track and Field Championships will take place on Feb. 23-24 at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.
PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Anderson
Sprints: Madison Seay
Distance: Olivia Evans
Field: JoLyn Copeland
Carson-Newman
Sprints: Tia Davis
Distance: Rachel Strayer
Field: Samantha Gudger
Catawba
Sprints: Kierra McNeill
Distance: Patience Hunt
Field: Candace Swepson
Coker
Sprints: Lauren Mustapher
Distance: Breanna Sullivan
Field: Asante Rice
Lenoir-Rhyne
Sprints: Saidah Hardwick
Distance: Paiton Fair
Field: Autumn Drayton
Lincoln Memorial
Sprints: Jerrica Covington
Distance: Tabea Kandlbauer
Field: Morgan Salyers
Mars Hill
Sprints: Shahnika Williams
Distance: Angela Feeney
Field: Tiffany Holloway
Newberry
Sprints: D'arion Johnston
Distance: Anne Bouwkamp
Field: Iris Duke
Queens
Sprints: Melanie Welsing
Distance: Hannah Wolkenhauer
Field: To'Mara Carmichael
Tusculum
Sprints: Earthazia Watkins
Distance: Nicole McMillan
Field: I'Keriah Day
Wingate
Sprints: Tamerah Sebree
Distance: Julie Diaz
Field : Vanisha Wilshire
2018-19 Women's Indoor Track and Field Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes) - Points
1. Queens (7) 107
2. Wingate (3) 102
3. Lenoir-Rhyne (1) 92
4. Carson-Newman 76
5. Anderson 64
6. Coker 63
7. Lincoln Memorial 51
8. Catawba 50
9. Tusculum 48
10. Mars Hill 37
11. Newberry 25