Mars Hill Men, Lenoir-Rhyne Women Picked To Repeat As Cross Country Champions

ROCK HILL, SC - The Mars Hill College men's cross country team, which has won 12 consecutive championships, and the Lenoir-Rhyne University women's cross country team, the defending conference champion, are the favorites heading into the 2009 season, in a vote of the league's head coaches.

The Mars Hill men's team received eight first-place votes and 80 of a possible 81 total points. The Lions also had three named to the preseason men's All-Conference team, which was also announced. Trey McCain, who was fifth in last year's Food Lion SAC Championship meet, is joined on the preseason All-Conference first team by Aaron Thomas and Josh Corbin.

The Lenoir-Rhyne University men were the pick to finish second. The Bears received one first-place vote and 71 total points.

Lenoir-Rhyne return 2008 SAC Freshman of the Year Jake Maidens, who was named to the preseason All-Conference first team, while Ty Dannenbring, Jake Stuckey and Tyler Mooney were all named to the second team.

Wingate University is picked to finish third with 61 points. The Bulldogs bring back four preseason All-Conference selections, with David Sanctis and Doug Coats named to the first team and Tesfom Mehari and RJ Voetsch named to the second team.

Lincoln Memorial University received 47 points for fourth place in the preseason poll. Derrick Lindsay was named to the preseason All-Conference second team.

Carson-Newman College is fifth with 38 points. The Eagles placed Jonathan Madden on the preseason All-Conference second team.

Tusculum College is sixth with 35 points in the preseason poll. The Pioneers have the top returning runner from last year's conference championship meet in junior Simon Holzapfel, who was second in last year's race and was named to the preseason All-Conference first team.

Catawba College (30 points), Brevard College (23 points) and Newberry College (20 points) round out the men's poll.

The Lenoir-Rhyne women's team was also a near unanimous choice to repeat their championship. The Bears received eight first-place votes and 80 points.

Lenoir-Rhyne placed four on the preseason All-Conference first team, including the top three returning finishers from last year's conference championship in 2008 Freshman of the Year Kate Griewish, sophomore Tiffany Payne and senior Alyssa Lowe, as well as Miranda Annas.

Wingate received the other first-place vote and had 63 total points. The 2007 champion Bulldogs placed Mary-Kathryn Preble on the preseason All-Conference first team, while Lindsey Lippencott, Alicia Harbold and Jen Bossi, were all named to the second team.

Eight-time conference champion Mars Hill was picked to finish third with 57 points. The Lions had one preseason All-Conference selection in second-team pick Laurel Sitze.

Carson-Newman was close behind with 56 points for fourth place. Cara Hawkins and Catelyn Dake were both preseason All-Conference second team selections.

Catawba is fifth with 46 points. The Catawba Indians return preseason All-Conference first-team pick MaLeah Cole.

Lincoln Memorial received 32 points for sixth place. The Lady Railsplitters are led by preseason All-Conference first-team selection Sofia Lopez Mimendi.

Newberry is seventh with 25 points. Jennifer Johnson was named to the preseason All-Conference second team.

Brevard and Tusculum are tied for eighth place with 23 points each.

The cross country season begins Saturday with Catawba and Mars Hill competing in the Erskine Invitational in Due West, S.C. The 2009 Food Lion SAC Championship will be October 24 at Southside Park in Newton, N.C. hosted by Lenoir-Rhyne.

2009 SAC PRESEASON MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY POLL
1. Mars Hill (8) 80
2. Lenoir-Rhyne (1) 71
3. Wingate 61
4. Lincoln Memorial 47
5. Carson-Newman 38
6. Tusculum 35
7. Catawba 30
8. Brevard 23
9. Newberry 20
(First place votes in parenthesis)

2009 SAC PRESEASON WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY POLL
1. Lenoir-Rhyne (8) 80
2. Wingate (1) 63
3. Mars Hill 57
4. Carson-Newman 56
5. Catawba 46
6. Lincoln Memorial 32
7. Newberry 25
8. Brevard 23
Tusculum 23
(First place votes in parenthesis)

2009 SAC PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS

Men's First Team
Jake Maidens, Lenoir-Rhyne
Trey McCain, Mars Hill
Aaron Thomas, Mars Hill
Josh Corbin, Mars Hill
Simon Holzapfel, Tusculum
David Sanctis, Wingate
Doug Coats, Wingate

Men's Second Team
Jonathan Madden, Carson-Newman
Ty Dannenbring, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jake Stuckey, Lenoir-Rhyne
Tyler Mooney, Lenoir-Rhyne
Derrick Lindsay, Lincoln Memorial
Tesfom Mehari, Wingate
RJ Voetsch, Wingate

Women's First Team
MaLeah Cole, Catawba
Kate Griewisch, Lenoir-Rhyne
Tiffany Payne, Lenoir-Rhyne
Alyssa Lowe, Lenoir-Rhyne
Miranda Annas, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sofia Lopez Mimendi, Lincoln Memorial
Mary-Kathryn Preble, Wingate

Women's Second Team
Cara Hawkins, Carson-Newman
Catelyn Dake, Carson-Newman
Laurel Sitze, Mars Hill
Jennifer Johnson, Newberry
Lindsey Lippencott, Wingate
Alicia Harbold, Wingate
Jen Bossi, Wingate