ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Anderson University women's cross country team has been selected as the team to beat in the South Atlantic Conference preseason coaches' poll, as announced by the league office Wednesday afternoon.
Anderson, the defending SAC champions, tallied six first-place votes.
The Trojans, led by 2010 SAC Runner of the Year Whitney Bishoff, edged Lenoir-Rhyne for the top spot in the poll, with the Bears receiving the other four first-place votes from the coaches. L-R will once again be paced by 2010 NCAA Southeast Region champion Kate Griewisch.
Wingate is third in the poll, followed by Mars Hill at No. 4, Carson-Newman at No. 5 and Catawba at No. 6.
Brevard is next at No. 7, followed by Lincoln Memorial, Tusculum and Newberry.
The preseason All-SAC team was also announced on Wednesday. Led by Bishoff, Anderson had two first-team and one second-team selection, while Brevard, Wingate and Mars Hill each placed one student-athlete on the first-team. Lenoir-Rhyne placed two student-athletes on the first team - including Griewisch - and two on the second team.
Catawba landed two second-team preseason selections, and Carson-Newman and Lincoln Memorial each had one student-athlete earn second-team distinctions.
Bishoff, Lydia Davis and Emily Eckroth posted three of the top eight times at last year's SAC championship and their efforts were noted with selections to the preseason squad. Bishoff and Davis were named to the first team, while Eckroth earned second-team accolades.
Davis claimed third at the SAC Championships, earning Freshman
of the Year honors, while Eckroth was named to last season's
second-team all-conference squad after placing eighth at the 2010
conference championships.
South Atlantic Conference cross country officially gets underway on
Sept. 1 when Lincoln Memorial competes in the Asbury-Jessamine
Invitational. The 2011 Food Lion SAC Championship will be hosted by
Carson-Newman on Oct. 22 in Morristown, Tenn.
Anderson opens the 2011 campaign on Friday, Sept. 2, at the Eye-Opener in Greenville, S.C.
Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team Points (1st-Place Votes)
1. Anderson 96 (6)
2. Lenoir-Rhyne 93 (4)
3. Wingate 79
4. Mars Hill 67
5. Carson-Newman 56
6. Catawba 48
7. Brevard 43
8. Lincoln Memorial 36
9. Tusculum 22
10. Newberry 10
Women's Cross Country Preseason All-SAC Team
First Team
Whitney Bishoff, Anderson
Lydia Davis, Anderson
Angela Canale, Brevard
Amanda Barnes, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kate Griewisch, Lenoir-Rhyne
Cassie Adamson, Mars Hill
Keeley Wood, Wingate
Second Team
Emily Eckroth, Anderson
Brooke Earhart, Carson-Newman
Olivia Myers, Catawba
Peyton Thompson, Catawba
Tiffany Payne, Lenoir-Rhyne
Laura Rhyne, Lenoir-Rhyne
Fiona Reinecke, Lincoln Memorial
