Thomasville, NC- The Anderson University Women’s Cross Country Team was voted the upcoming favorite in this years cross country preseason poll. Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference head coaches voted the Trojans the top team in an annual preseason poll to rank predicted order of finish within the league. 

            New Anderson University head cross country coach Randy Greer inherits a veteran women’s team.  The Lady Trojans, the defending Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference champions, will be led by junior Jennifer Hitt and sophomore Diana Willard. Hitt, a two-time CVAC individual champion earning Runner of the Year honors, and Willard, who was the Freshman of the Year, both qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championship meet last fall.  Hitt recorded seven top-ten finishes last season and won two individual titles – Lander and CVAC. Willard recorded six top-ten finishes and one individual title. As a team, the Lady Trojans won two team titles and recorded four top-four finishes. “The women’s team is looking real solid,” Greer said. “We didn’t lose anybody and we’re bringing in one or two runners who are going to help immediately. I think we have a good chance to repeat as CVAC champions and make the nationals as a team.” 

            The Queens University of Charlotte women's cross country took the second spot in the coaches poll as the team looks to improve on last seasons second place finish in the CVAC Championship.  Leading the effort for the Royals will be All-CVAC second team member Whitney Dennis and All-CVAC honorable mention team member Katie Carman, who both finished in the top 15 in last years CVAC Championships.   Coach Michael Bell's incoming group of runners will help the Royals challenge for the CVAC Championship as they hope to improve upon last years fifth place finish at the NCAA DII Regional meet.

            The Barton College women’s cross country team has all seven runners back from a squad that raced to a third-place CVAC finish in 2005. Leading the charge will be senior Brooke Richardson, the team MVP who was injured at the end of last season and sophomore Gina Castro who capped a solid freshman year last fall with an All-CVAC second team run. In fact, Barton is excited about this season since its top five runners placed in the top 23 in last year’s CVAC Championships.  “We have everybody back, with a lot of veterans, so we have high expectations,” BC head coach Sheryl Neff said.

 

           

 

 

 

 

CVAC Women's Cross Country Pre-Season Poll      

(# of First Place Votes in Parenthesis)                    

     1.  Anderson                       (9)                    117                 

     2.  Queens                          (1)                    100                 

     3.  Barton                            (1)                    98       

     4.  Converse                       (1)                    97       

     5.  Lees-McRae                                           85       

     6.  Erskine                                                   58       

     7.  Belmont Abbey                                       52       

     8.  Pfeiffer                                                   51       

     9.  St. Andrews                                           49       

   T-10.  Coker                                                31                             

   T-10.  Mount Olive                                         31       

   12.  Limestone                                              23

 

 

 

2006 CVAC Women’s “Preseason Runners to Watch” List

(As selected by the member institutions)

 

Name:                                      School: Year:                Highlights:

Jennifer Hitt                             Anderson         JR         2004 & 05 CVAC Champion & Runner of the Year, ’04 & 05 1st Team All-CVAC, & 04 Freshman of the Year

Diana Willard                           Anderson         So        2005 CVAC Freshman of the Year & 1st Team All-CVAC

Kasey Harold                           Anderson         SR        2005 1st Team All-CVAC

Gina Castro                              Barton              SO        2005 2nd Team All-CVAC

Brooke Richardson                   Barton              SR        Two-time BC MVP

Katie Kisbey-Green                  Belmont Abbey So

Meredith Maher                       Belmont Abbey SR

Noelle Sharbono                     Coker              JR

Mary Cloonan                           Converse         SR        2005 1st Team All-CVAC

Betsy Ruppert                          Converse         So        2005 2nd Team All-CVAC

Chris Pack                                Erskine            

Casey Willis                             Lees-McRae    SR

Demarea Colson                      Lees-McRae     SO        2005 All-CVAC Honorable Mention

Alexandra Bonn                       Limestone        So        3 Top 5 finish times for the ‘05 Lady Saints

Theresa Thompson                  Mount Olive      SO        Trojans’ top finisher at 2005 CVAC meet

Ellen Humphrey                       Pfeiffer              So       

Meghan Hillebrand                   Pfeiffer             JR

Whitney Dennis                       Queens                        JR         2005 2nd Team All-CVAC

Katie Carman                           Queens            SO         2005 All-CVAC Honorable Mention

Alyson Trovato                         St. Andrews     So        Transfer from Texas Christian University

Heather Woodard                    St. Andrews     FR