Thomasville, NC- Anderson University women’s cross country team has been labeled the favorites in this years preseason coaches poll.  After an injury-riddled season in 2006, Anderson head coach Randy Greer is hoping he can keep his women’s cross country team healthy this season.  The Lady Trojans battled through injuries last fall to win two meets, including the conference championship, before finishing fourth in the NCAA regional meet.  “I think our women have been dominant the last couple of years,” Greer said. “It’s just a matter of getting them all healthy. I don’t think we’ve got anything locked up, but if we run like we’re supposed to run, we’ve got an extremely good shot of winning the conference, and we should contend for the region title and a trip to the national meet.”

Senior Jennifer Hitt will try and make conference history by winning her fourth individual league title at the Conference Carolinas meet Oct. 20 in Spartanburg.  Because of injuries, Hitt ran in just four meets last fall, but won the individual league title and Runner of the Year award.

Lees-McRae has high expectations for the upcoming 2007 cross country season as well.  With a pair of All-Conference returnees and a talented incoming class, the Lady Bobcats will look to best their second place finish a year ago at the league meet. After earning league Freshman of the Year honors and qualifying for the NCAA meet a year ago, Dana Lindholm, will lead the Lady Bobcats as she looks to best her runner-up finish in last year’s conference championships.  All-Conference performers Ashley May and Demarea Colson will help shoulder the load while Gina Valenti and Carla Stewart return prepared for strong sophomore campaigns.  A pair of freshman, Anna Gray and April Harris will be key assets and provide excellent depth as the Lady Bobcats take aim at their seventh conference title in ten years.

“This group is special.  As I have watched their growth over the last year, I am pleased with where we are heading and the goals we have set,” commented Head Coach Craig McPhail.  “We are still young, but we are talented and our hard work should set us up for some really great things later in the year.  Our top seven has really improved, giving us more of a pack mentality and helping us grow everyday in training.”

The St. Andrews women’s cross country team surprised the entire conference last season by finishing third in the conference championships after being picked ninth in the 2006 preseason coaches poll. The Lady Knights will look to build on last years most successful season by climbing another rung on the newly renamed Conference Carolinas ladder and get one step closer to contending for a league title. SAPC posted a trio of top-3 finishes in ’06 and also had their best finish-ever result in the Southeast Regional with a seventh place finish. Reigning 1st Team All-Conference junior Alyson Trovato and 2nd Team All-Conference senior Veronica Gobeyn will lead the deep St. Andrews roster. Sixth year head coach Gary Aycock returns six other harriers while adding four new endurance athletes. “We are excited about our freshmen class, and our team chemistry is the best it has ever been. We are optimistic that combination will lead to a positive training atmosphere, which will produce successful race results in 2007,” said Aycock.

CVAC Women's Cross Country Pre-Season Poll      

(# of First Place Votes in Parenthesis)                    

     1.  Anderson                       (10)                  119

     2.  Lees-McRae                   (1)                    111

     3.  St. Andrews                   (1)                    100

     4.  Queens                                                  88

     5.  Barton                                                    69

     6.  Pfeiffer                                                   68

     7.  Coker                                                     63

     8.  Converse                                               50

     9.  Limestone                                              45

   T-10.  Belmont Abbey                                    29

   T-10.  Mount Olive                                         29

   12.  Erskine                                                   21