The South Atlantic Conference Announces the 2023 Women'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 Women's Cross Country title, the league office announced today.

The Bulldogs, who won the 2022 SAC Women's Cross Country Championships and took home the Southeast Region title, received 12 first place votes and tallied 144 points in the poll.

Catawba, No. 2 in the poll, collected 128 points and one first place vote and was followed by Anderson in the No. 3 spot with 127 points.

Lenoir-Rhyne claimed fourth in the preseason poll with 110 points, while Lincoln Memorial earned the No. 5 spot with 99 points. Carson-Newman earned the No. 6 spot in the poll with 90 points, followed by Tusculum at No. 7 with 69 points.

UVA Wise took the No. 8 spot with 63 points. Coker was No. 9 in the poll, earning 50 points from the coaches.

In the No. 10 spot was Newberry with 48 points, while Limestone (40), Mars Hill (28), and Emory & Henry (18) 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 WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL

School (First Place Votes) Points

Wingate (12) 144
Catawba (1) 128
Anderson 127
Lenoir-Rhyne 110
Lincoln Memorial 99
Carson-Newman 90
Tusculum 69
UVA Wise 63
Coker 50
Newberry 48
Limestone 40
Mars Hill 28
Emory & Henry 18

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

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