Atlantic Sun Releases 2011 Preseason Cross Country Polls
8/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
MACON, Ga. – As the 2011 cross country season approaches, the Atlantic Sun Conference released its preseason poll today with the USC Upstate men in fourth and the women in fifth as announced by the conference office.
On the men's side, Kennesaw State was picked to win its third-straight A-Sun title, collecting nine first-place votes and 99 points. Belmont, the host of the 2011 A-Sun Championship, took second and earned 82 points and one first-place nod, while North Florida claimed the No. 3 spot with 77 points.
The Spartan men, who finished third at the A-Sun Championship last season, tallied 74 points to take the No. 4 slot, while ETSU was fifth with 61 points. Upstate returns two all-conference team members and one from the all-freshman team, including the 2010 A-Sun individual champion junior Gilbert Kemboi.
North Florida topped the women's poll with 98 points and eight first-place votes, after winning the 2010 A-Sun Championship. Lipscomb came in second, totaling 92 points and two first-place nods. Jacksonville claimed the No. 3 spot with 77 points, while Belmont took the No. 4 position with 68 points.
The Upstate women rounded out the top five, collecting 65 points. The Spartans have finished fourth the last two years in the A-Sun Championship. Upstate returns three all-conference team members, including first team selection senior Joan Tangwar.
In the 2011 men's preseason poll, Mercer ranked sixth with 45 points, while Florida Gulf Coast and Lipscomb tied for seventh with 41 points each. Stetson (18 points) and Jacksonville (12 points) closed out the poll in the No. 9 and No. 10 spots, respectively.
The bottom half of the 2011 women's preseason poll saw FGCU in the No. 6 slot with 37 points, followed by Mercer (37 points) and Kennesaw State (36 points). The list finished with ETSU in ninth and Stetson in 10th collecting 21 and 10 points, respectively.
Both Upstate teams open the 2011 season Sept. 2, hosting the Eye Opener Invitational. Follow the Spartans this season on Facebook and Twitter.
2011 A-Sun Preseason Men's Cross Country Poll
Pl. Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Kennesaw State (9) 99
2. Belmont (1) 82
3. North Florida 77
4. USC Upstate 74
5. ETSU 61
6. Mercer 45
t-7. Florida Gulf Coast 41
t-7. Lipscomb 41
9. Stetson 18
10. Jacksonville 12
2011 A-Sun Preseason Women's Cross Country Poll
Pl. Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. North Florida (8) 98
2. Lipscomb (2) 92
3. Jacksonville 77
4. Belmont 68
5. USC Upstate 65
6. Florida Gulf Coast 46
7. Mercer 37
8. Kennesaw State 36
9. ETSU 21
10. Stetson 10
