ROCK HILL, S.C. - Coming off of a third place finish in last season's Conference Carolinas' Championships, the Anderson University men's cross country team was picked to finish third in the South Atlantic Conference preseason coaches' poll released Friday afternoon.
"We've got a lot of new kids this year and are very talented, but we're also very young," Anderson head coach Randy Greer said. "We are looking forward to competing in the South Atlantic Conference."
The Trojans were led to last season's third place conference finish by a trio of performers who all posted top-25 times, Alex Jordan, Alex Pena and Nigel Reynolds. While Jordan, a second-team all-Conference Carolinas honoree last season is gone, both Pena and Reynolds return.
Mars Hill College, which has won 13 consecutive South Atlantic Conference men's cross country championships, is the unanimous choice to capture the 2010 title, in a vote of the league's head coaches.
The Lions received all 10 first place votes and 100 total points. The Lions are traditionally deep with running talent, and this year should be no exception. Mars Hill returns five runners named to the preseason All-Conference team. Kit Powell, Justin Gragg, Trey McCain and Aaron Thomas, who finished second, third, fourth and seventh in last year's conference championship race, were named to the first team. Eric Blackburn, was named to the second team.
Lenoir-Rhyne University, which finished second last year, is picked to finish second in 2010. The Bears received 83 total points. The Bears placed four on the preseason All-Conference team. Tyler Mooney, who finished fifth last year, was named to the first team, while Jakob Maidens, Patrick Ryan and Zack Queen were named to the second team.
Wingate University was close behind with 70 total points. The Bulldogs will host the 2010 Food Lion SAC Cross Country Championship.
Catawba College is fifth in the poll with 65 points. The Catawba Indians placed a pair of runners on the preseason All-Conference team. Christian Crifasi, the 2009 SAC Freshman Runner of the Year, was named to the first team, while Justin Smith was named to the second team.
Carson-Newman College is sixth in the poll with 48 points. Jonathan Madden was named to the preseason All-Conference second team.
Brevard College received 45 points for seventh place.
Lincoln Memorial University is eighth with 29 points, followed by Newberry College with 24 points.
Tusculum College rounds out the poll with 15 points. The Pioneers do return the 2009 SAC Runner of the Year in Simon Holzapfel.
The 2010 season begins Thursday, September 2 with Mars Hill participating in the Montreat Invitational. Tusculum runs Friday, September 3 in the Stampede at the Shoals meet in Elizabethton, Tenn. Most of the other teams, including Anderson, will participate in the Eye Opener Meet in Spartanburg, S.C. on Saturday, September 4.
The 2010 Food Lion SAC Cross Country Championship will be November 6 at Wingate University.
2010 SAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches
Poll
Men 1st Pts
Mars Hill 10 100
Lenoir-Rhyne 83
Anderson 71
Wingate 70
Catawba 65
Carson-Newman 48
Brevard 45
Lincoln Memorial 29
Newberry 24
Tusculum 15
2010 SAC Men's Cross Country Preseason All-Conference Team
First Team
Christian Crifasi, Catawba
Tyler Mooney, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kit Powell, Mars Hill
Justin Gragg, Mars Hill
Trey McCain, Mars Hill
Aaron Thomas, Mars Hill
Simon Holzapfel, Tusculum
Second Team
Jonathan Madden, Carson-Newman
Justin Smith, Catawba
Jakob Maidens, Lenoir-Rhyne
Patrick Ryan, Lenoir-Rhyne
Zack Queen, Lenoir-Rhyne
Derrick Lindsay, Lincoln Memorial
Eric Blackburn, Mars Hill
