ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Anderson University men's cross country team has been tabbed to finish second in the 2019 SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, as released by the league office Thursday morning.
By finishing as runners-up at last year's conference championships, the Trojans equaled their highest finish since claiming second place in 2011, and with the second-place prediction by the coaches on Thursday, the Black and Gold have earned their highest forecasted finish since also being tabbed second in the 2011 Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The coaches' poll exactly mirrored the results from the 2018 SAC Championships, which were hosted by Anderson at the Milliken Research Center in Spartanburg, S.C.
Queens, which has won two straight SAC Championships and three of the last four conference titles, garnered 11 first-place votes and was the coaches' choice to defend its title, while the Trojans edged Wingate for the second spot in the poll. The Trojans will be seeking their second conference championship in program history and their first SAC title since joining the league in 2010, while the Bulldogs captured one first-place vote on the ballot and will also be looking for their first SAC title after finishing third at the 2018 SAC Championships.
The Royals, who finished ninth at the NCAA National Championship last season, have five All-SAC performers returning for 2019, including a trio of first-team honorees from a year ago. AU boasts a dozen returning letterwinners, including Second-Team All-Conference selections Ben Clark and Weston Hutto, among its 19-man roster.
Lincoln Memorial was No. 4 in the voting for the second straight year with 98 points to their credit, with Catawba taking the fifth spot with 94 points. Lenoir-Rhyne, which is the only other active SAC school besides Queens and Mars Hill to collect a title, garnered the No. 6 spot with 81 points. Tusculum was picked seventh after gathering 73 points, while Carson-Newman earned the eighth slot with 68 points.
Mars Hill, which has claimed 19 of the last 22 conference championships, including 18 straight during a dominating span from 1997 through 2014, was placed in the No. 9 spot courtesy of 54 points. Newberry (38 points) and Coker (36 points) finished 10th and 11th, respectively in the poll, with UVa-Wise taking the 12th spot.
Overall, 11 all-conference runners return for the 2019 season, including Queens senior All-American Anthony Raftis.
Anderson is set to get the season underway, Friday, Sept. 6 at the Converse Kickoff Classic.
2019 Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank School (First Place Votes) Points
1. Queens (11) 132
2. Anderson 115
3. Wingate (1) 110
4. Lincoln Memorial98
5. Catawba 94
6. Lenoir-Rhyne 81
7. Tusculum 73
8. Carson-Newman 68
9. Mars Hill 54
10. Newberry 38
11. Coker 36
12. UVa-Wise 25
