Mars Hill Men Selected as SAC Preseason Favorite
The Mars Hill men’s cross country team is the preseason favorite to win the South Atlantic Conference according to the league’s coaches in a poll released on Thursday morning.
ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Mars Hill men's cross country team is the preseason favorite to win the South Atlantic Conference according to the league's coaches in a poll released on Thursday morning.
The Lions earned 120 points and 10 of 12 first-place votes. In 2013, the Lions won their SAC-record 17th straight title and have never finished lower than fifth in the conference.
Mars Hill returns three First Team All-SAC runners from last season in junior Alex Griggs, senior Derek Gibson and sophomore Nathan Jones. Griggs was the runner-up at last season's SAC Championship race, while Gibson finished that race in third place. Jones is the reigning SAC Freshman of the Year and finished in fourth place at the SAC Championship. Griggs and Jones also earned All-Region accolades in 2013.
Queens tallied 112 points and two first place votes to claim second place, followed by Anderson with 95 points, Lincoln Memorial and Brevard with 80 points each and Wingate with 78. Lenioir-Rhyne, Carson-Newman, Tusculum, Coker, Catawba and Newberry round out the poll.
The Catawba Pre-Conference Invitational on Friday, September 5 will open the 2014 season for the Lions.
2014 Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
School Total
1. Mars Hill 120
2. Queens 112
3. Anderson 95
4. Lincoln Memorial 80
Brevard 80
6. Wingate 78
7. Lenoir-Ryne 68
8. Carson-Newman 42
9. Tusculum 38
10. Coker 28
11. Catawba 27
12. Newberry 24
