The South Atlantic Conference Announces the 2023 Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll and Runners to Watch List

August 17, 2023

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Wingate was voted as the favorite to win the 2023 South Atlantic Conference Men's Cross Country title, the league office announced today.

The Bulldogs, who won the 2022 SAC Men's Cross Country Championship, the NCAA Southeast Region championship, and finished second in the NCAA DII Men's Cross Country National Championship, received 12 first place votes and tallied 144 points.

Catawba, No. 2 in the poll, snagged 130 points and one first place vote. Anderson followed at No. 3 with 125 points.

Lenoir-Rhyne earned the No. 4 spot with 110 points, while Carson-Newman claimed fifth in the preseason poll with 98 points. Lincoln Memorial earned the No. 6 spot with 91 points, followed by Limestone at No. 7 with 75 points.

Emory & Henry took the No. 8 spot with 60 points. Tusculum was No. 9 in the poll earning 57 points from the coaches.

In the No. 10 spot was UVA Wise with 42 points, while Mars Hill (33 points), Newberry (32), and Coker (17) wrapped up the preseason ranking at No. 11, No. 12, and No. 13, respectively.

In addition to the preseason coaches' poll, the SAC also released its 2023 Cross Country Runners to Watch list. Below is the full list of runners to watch by team during the 2023 season.

The 2023 SAC Cross Country Championships will take place October 21^st at Southside Park in Newton, N.C.

2023 SAC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL

School (First Place Votes) Points

Wingate (12) 144
Catawba (1) 130
Anderson 125
Lenoir-Rhyne 110
Carson-Newman 98
Lincoln Memorial 91
Limestone 75
Emory & Henry 60
Tusculum 57
UVA Wise 42
Mars Hill 33
Newberry 32
Coker 17

2023 SAC CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS TO WATCH

Anderson

Men: Spain Vaughan and Elliot Dotson

Women: Emily Golden and Elise Matthews

Carson-Newman

Men: Colten Lee, Brent Borden

Women: Grace Lathrop, Katie Smock, Imke Van Gog

Catawba

Men: Erick Ramirez, Oussama Ajala

Women: Madison Clay, Raina Andrews

Coker

Men: Austin Bates

Women: Catherine Cann

Emory & Henry

Men: Matthew Klapak, Miles Baldwin, Kaleb Elswick

Women: Delaney Eller, Jessi Looney, Trinity Neff

Lenoir-Rhyne

Men: Jacob Parkinson

Women: Paige Ewald

Limestone

Men: Kennedy Stinson, Judson Taylor

Women: Khasmine Harris

Lincoln Memorial

Men: Ben Trimm

Women: Harper Russell

Mars Hill

Men: Maliki Pope

Women: Megan Van Etten

Newberry

Tusculum

Men: Pau Valdepenas

Women: Emily Coddington

UVA Wise

Men: Jonah Adams, Eric Hegg, Nick DeBoard

Women: Lydia Slemp, Alyssa McFalls, Alexsis Porter

Wingate

Men: Hamza Chahid, Cas Kopmels, Scott Nutter

Women: Grace Burrell, Brooklyn Pierce, Mollie Scott