ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson men's cross country team has been ranked ninth in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) preseason Southeast Region poll, as released Tuesday afternoon.
The Trojans, predicted to finish third in their inaugural season in the South Atlantic Conference, were joined in the preseason regional rankings by fellow SAC members Mars Hill (3rd), Wingate (7th) and Lenoir-Rhyne (10th).
Mars Hill, which has won 13 consecutive South Atlantic Conference men's cross country championships, earned all 10 first-place votes in the SAC preseason poll, while Wingate was just behind AU in the SAC preseason poll.
The USTFCCCA regional rankings are a reflection of a team's strengths entering the year based on returning and new runners on each squad.
The top-25 teams in the national cross country coaches' poll in Division II will be released on Wednesday, while the next regional rankings will be released on September 21.
SOUTHEAST Region
Rank School Location Conference 2009 FINISH
1 Queens (N.C.) Charlotte, N.C. Conf. Car. 1
2 Columbus State Columbus, Ga. Peach Belt 2
3 Mars Hill Mars Hill, N.C. SAC 3
4 Clayton State Morrow, Ga. Peach Belt 5
5 King College Bristol, Tenn. Indep. NCCAA
6 UNC Pembroke Pembroke, N.C. Peach Belt 5
7 Wingate Wingate, N.C. SAC 8
8 Lees-McRae Banner Elk, N.C. Conf. Car. 4
9 Anderson (S.C.) Anderson, S.C. SAC 12
10 Lenoir-Rhyne Hickory, N.C. SAC 9
