ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Cross Country Team has been chosen to finish 12th in the South Atlantic Conference this year by the league's head coaches. The poll was released by the SAC office on Wednesday.
RELATED – SAC Preseason Poll & Runners to Watch List
E&H returned to the course last year after taking the 2020 season off due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the resulting truncated cross country/track & field schedule. The team's youth laid a groundwork for years to come as two members return for this season. Joining the squad this year is one graduate student, a pair of sophomores from the track & field team and four freshmen, each of whom will make an early impact on the program.
Wingate University, which won the 2021 SAC Championship, and placed fifth at the NCAA Division II national meet, has been chosen to repeat its title with 12 of 13 first-place votes. Anderson (S.C.) University is second while Lenoir-Rhyne University is third, earning the last first-place vote.
Additionally, the SAC has announced its Runners to Watch List with junior Annalyse McHone (Shawsville, Va.) and freshmen Sydney Bonney (Bristol, Va.) and Elise McKinney (Church Hill, Tenn.) representing E&H.
Emory & Henry will open the year at the Fleet Feet Invitational, hosted by Catawba College on Saturday, September 3. The meet will take place at Community Park in Salisbury, North Carolina.
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2022 SAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
| Rank | School (FPV) | Points |
| 1. | Wingate (12) | 144 |
| 2. | Anderson | 126 |
| 3. | Lenoir-Rhyne (1) | 123 |
| 4. | Catawba | 112 |
| 5. | Lincoln Memorial | 101 |
| 6. | Carson-Newman | 88 |
| 7. | Tusculum | 82 |
| 8. | Newberry | 66 |
| 9. | Limestone | 48 |
| 10. | UVA Wise | 45 |
| 11. | Coker | 30 |
| 12. | Emory & Henry | 26 |
| 13. | Mars Hill | 23 |
2022 SAC Women's Cross Country Runners to Watch
| Anderson Elise Matthews Whitney Hanson |
Carson-Newman Grace Lathrop Katie Smock Imke Van Gog |
Catawba Madison Lowery Raina Andrews |
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Coker Catherine Cann Stephanie Forrester Destiny Ingram |
Emory & Henry Sydney Bonney Annalyse McHone Elise McKinney |
Lenoir-Rhyne Janet Kwambai Kathrin Polke Paige Ewald |
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Limestone Deimante Bedalyte Andrea Segura Alia Ibensadiken |
Lincoln Memorial Brooke Foster Elke Wijkmans Katilee Croft |
Mars Hill Alina Mueller Alyssa Jamerson Megan Van Etten |
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Newberry Alaya Lindquist Reagan Wells Ahja Amos |
Tusculum Erin Bruce Judy Chellah Emily Coddington |
UVA Wise Haley Sykes Kaley Sykes Isabella Mullins |
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Wingate Tatjana Mense Gemma Rebollo Mollie Scott |