Pre-Season Coaches Poll Places King University Women’s Cross Country Team in First

Pre-Season Coaches Poll Places King University Women’s Cross Country Team in First

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            HIGH POINT, N.C.- Voted first in the pre-season polls, the King University women’s cross country team is coming off one of its most successful seasons in school history. King University women’s cross country team will look to defend its Conference Carolinas title after winning the program’s first conference championship in 2012.

 

 The Tornado placed all five runners in the top-15, and four of those runners return this fall, including reigning conference runner-up Kendra Sokol. The senior was named All-Southeast Region after placing sixth in the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships. Joining Sokol on the 2013 Tornado squad include Even Ferrell and Eliza Parker, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, at last year’s Conference Carolinas meet.

 

            Mount Olive College was voted second in the pre-season poll after their second place finish in the 2012 Conference Carolinas Women’s Cross Country Championship, improving over the previous year’s third-place finish. The Trojans return four top-30 finishers, including an all-conference selection.

 

Senior Christina Jordan finished 14th at last year’s conference championship and earned All-Conference Carolinas Third Team honors. Senior Crissy Petro placed 18th, junior Megan Bucek finished 20th and Courtney Seifert was 30th at the 2012 Conference Carolinas Championship. Also returning from last year’s squad are sophomore Emily Shaw and junior Logan Shirley.

 

Mount Olive was ranked as high as No. 3 in the USTFCCCA Southeast Region Top 10 during the 2012 season. The Trojans finished sixth at the 2012 NCAA II Southeast Regional.

 

Completing the top three, the Belmont Abbey women’s cross country team will look to take a big step forward from last year’s efforts, in which only two runners had ever competed in a collegiate race prior to last season. The Crusaders return nearly every runner from last season and will add several talented freshmen to the mix. Senior Ally Craven and sophomore Lucy Schmitz will pace the Crusaders in 2013. Craven earned all-region honors with a 24th place finish at the NCAA Regional meet. Schmitz will enter her second season after a strong season on the track, which should carry over into cross country season.

 

            The pre-season polls are completed with Barton, Erskine, Converse, Pfeiffer, North Greenville, Lees-McRae, and Limestone respectively.

 

            Conference Carolinas Women’s Cross Country Pre-Season Poll       (# of First Place Votes in Parenthesis)

 

King

79

(7)

Mount Olive 

74

(2)

Belmont Abbey

60

(1)

Barton

55

  

Erskine

45

  

Converse 

41

  

Pfeiffer

27

  

North Greenville

25

  

Lees-McRae

23

  

Limestone

21