NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced today the Division II Men’s and Women’s Southeast Region preseason cross country rankings.  St. Andrew’s Presbyterian College and Anderson University lead the way for the men and women respectively in the first cross country poll of 2007. 

 

SAPC, last year’s Southeast Regional Cross Country champion finished 23rd at the Division II Cross Country Nationals, their best ever finish at the NCAA meet.  The 2007 roster features a strong core of letter winners who will look for their third consecutive trip to the D-II cross country national meet.   

 

Holding down the second spot is Mars Hill College.  The Lions, winners of ten consecutive South Atlantic Conference championships and 18 of the last 20, finished as the runner-up at the Southeast Regional a year ago. 

 

Coming in at number three in the men’s Southeast Regional preseason poll are the Trojans of Anderson University.  A fourth place finish at last year’s regional should be improved upon as the Trojans added depth to their roster this past offseason. 

 

Spots four through ten consist of Lees-McRae, St. Augustine’s, Lenior-Rhyne, Coker, Wingate, Queens and Limestone in the Southeast Regional. 

 

Anderson University’s women take the top seat in the Southeast Regional preseason poll after finishing in fourth place at the 2006 regional.  The Lady Trojans battled an injury-plagued 2006 and hope to remain healthy as they look to contend for the 2007 regional title and a trip to the national meet.

 

Mars Hill’s women, last year’s third place finishers at the Southeast Regional, come in at number two in the preseason poll.

 

Lees-McRae College holds down the third spot in the Southeast Region.  The Lady Bobcats finished sixth a year ago at the Southeast Regional meet, and look to best that performance with a pair of All-Conference returnees and a talented incoming class. 

 

Completing the women’s Southeast Region preseason poll are Wingate, Carson-Newman, St. Andrew’s, Lenior-Rhyne, Catawba, Queens and Barton. 

 

To view the release with a complete listing of all regional rankings, visit www.ustfccca.org.   

 

Division II Southeast Regional Men

 

1.      St. Andrew’s

2.      Mars Hill

3.      Anderson

4.      Lees-McRae

5.      St. Augustine’s

6.      Lenior-Rhyne

7.      Coker

8.      Wingate

9.      Queens

10.  Limestone

 

Division II Southeast Regional Women

 

1.      Anderson

2.      Mars Hill

3.      Lee-McRae

4.      Wingate

5.      Carson-Newman

6.      St. Andrew’s

7.      Lenior-Rhyne

8.      Catawba

9.      Queens

10.  Barton