Anderson Tops Preseason Women’s Cross Country Poll; Lenoir-Rhyne Leads Preseason All-SAC Team

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Defending South Atlantic Conference champion Anderson was picked No. 1 in the 2011 women's cross country preseason coaches' poll, it was announced on Wednesday.

The Trojans, led by 2010 SAC Runner of the Year Whitney Bishoff, tallied six first-place votes.

No. 2 in the poll is Lenoir-Rhyne, which received the other four first-place votes from the coaches. The Bears will once again be paced by 2010 NCAA Southeast Region champion and USTFCCCA Southeast Region Women's Athlete of the Year Kate Griewisch, who also recorded an 18th-place finish at the NCAA National Championship a year ago.

Wingate is third in the women's poll, followed by Mars Hill at No. 4, Carson-Newman at No. 5 and Catawba at No. 6.
Brevard is next at No. 7, followed by Lincoln Memorial, Tusculum and Newberry.

The preseason All-SAC team was also announced on Wednesday. Leading the way was Lenoir-Rhyne, which placed two student-athletes on the first team - including Griewisch -- and two on the second team.

Led by Bishoff, Anderson had two first-team and one second-team selection, while Brevard, Wingate and Mars Hill each placed one student-athlete on the first-team.

Catawba landed two second-team preseason selections, and Carson-Newman and Lincoln Memorial each had one student-athlete earn second-team distinctions.

South Atlantic Conference cross country officially gets underway on Sept. 1 when Lincoln Memorial competes in the Asbury-Jessamine Invitational. The 2011 Food Lion SAC Championship will be hosted by Carson-Newman on Oct. 22 in Morristown, Tenn.

- Contributing: Seth Montgomery, Brevard media relations

Women's Cross Country Preseason All-SAC Team

First Team
Whitney Bishoff, Anderson
Lydia Davis, Anderson
Angela Canale, Brevard
Amanda Barnes, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kate Griewisch, Lenoir-Rhyne
Cassie Adamson, Mars Hill
Keeley Wood, Wingate

Second Team
Emily Eckroth, Anderson
Brooke Earhart, Carson-Newman
Olivia Myers, Catawba
Peyton Thompson, Catawba
Tiffany Payne, Lenoir-Rhyne
Laura Rhyne, Lenoir-Rhyne
Fiona Reinecke, Lincoln Memorial