November 29, 2017

Track and Field Preseason Poll puts C-N men at No. 3 and women at No. 6

ROCK HILL, S.C. – The South Atlantic Conference has announced the men’s and women’s indoor track & field preseason poll and watch list Wednesday afternoon, as voted by the league’s coaches.

ROCK HILL, S.C. – The South Atlantic Conference has announced the men's and women's indoor track & field preseason poll and watch list Wednesday afternoon, as voted by the league's coaches.

Carson-Newman placed its men's track and field in a third-place collecting 89 points, tying with Lenoir-Rhyne. The women's team claimed the No. 6 spot with 73 points.

"We are looking forward to the indoor season," Coach David Needs stated. "We have a number of new athletes that join established veterans and will be a big part of how far our team goes."

Queens has been picked to win the 2017-18 SAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Championship. The Royals picked up eight top votes and received 106 points from the panel.

Wingate placed second in the poll with three top votes and 103 points. Following the Bears and Eagles, Anderson rounded out the top five with 75 points.

Coker landed at the No. 6 spot with 62 points and at No. 7 was Lincoln Memorial with 59 points. Tusculum earned 41 points to come in at No. 8, while Mars Hill finished at No. 9 with 37 points. Newberry picked up 28 points to rank No. 10 and Catawba rounded out the poll with 27 points.

Wingate was picked to win the 2017-18 South Atlantic Conference Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship. The Bulldogs picked up eight top votes and received 107 points from the coaches' votes.

Queens placed second in the poll with two first-place votes and 102 points, ahead of Coker, who notched 89 points. Lenoir-Rhyne landed at No. 4 with one top-vote and 88 points and Anderson rounded out the top five with 74 points.

Following C-N at No. 6, Lincoln Memorial came in at No. 7 notching 44 points. Tusculum came in at No. 8 as it picked up 40 points. Mars Hill was selected at the No. 9 position as it received 38 points. Catawba was voted No. 10 with 32 points and Newberry rounded out the list with 27 points.

"We hope that when the conference meet happens in February, that our teams place higher than these expectations," Needs mentioned. "If our athletes continue to progress like they have in the fall, there is no doubt in my mind they will."

The Eagles watch list includes a number of returners including Tanner Stepp who was the national runner-up in the men's high jump in May. Distance runner Luke Greer comes off an incredible cross country season in which he competed in the NCAA Championships.

On the women's side Tori Gaul headlined All-Southeast Region honors for the fourth-time in her career as a pole vaulter.

The 2017-18 SAC Indoor Track and Field season marks the inaugural year for the sport in the conference. The season is set to get underway on Saturday, Dec. 2 with many of the league's member institutions competing at the JDL Kick Off Classic.

Carson-Newman will compete in the Bast-Cregger Invitational at Roanoke College on Dec. 1st and 2nd.

Below is a look at some of the top athletes around the league.

Men's Indoor Track & Field Watch List:

Anderson

Sprinter: Chris Burton

Distance: Mason Hazel

Carson-Newman

Sprinter: Kieran Showler-Davis

Field: Tanner Stepp

Distance: Luke Greer

Coker

Sprinter: Tony McElveen Jr.

Distance: Brandon Mullins

Lenoir-Rhyne

Sprinter: C.J. Williams

Field: Myles Braswell-Sample

Distance: Jacob Black

Lincoln Memorial

Sprinter: Oluwatosin Balogun

Distance: Jorge Hernandez

Mars Hill

Sprinter: Cameron France

Field: Spencer Shade

Distance: James Gilreath

Queens

Sprinter: Kevin Harrison

Field – Anton Epp

Distance - Tim Hoeni

Tusculum

Sprinter: Widchard Guervil

Field: Yannick Rosalie

Distance: Jackson Beason

Wingate

Sprinter: Breon Jenkins

Field: Isaiah Kyle

Distance: Nepolian Patel

2017-18 Men's Indoor Track and Field Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes) - Points

1. Queens (8) 106
2. Wingate (3) 103
3. Carson-Newman 89
Lenoir-Rhyne 89
5. Anderson 75
6. Coker 62
7. Lincoln Memorial 59
8. Tusculum 41
9. Mars Hill 37
10. Newberry 28
11. Catawba 27

Women's Indoor Track & Field Watch List:

Anderson

Sprinter: Jasmine Barmore

Field: JoLyn Copeland

Distance: Haylee Love

Carson-Newman

Sprinter: Tia Davis

Field: Tori Gaul

Coker

Sprinter Noelia Leake

Distance: Darroneshia Lott

Lenoir-Rhyne