ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum College men's cross country team has been picked to finish ninth at the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Championship while the women were tabbed 10th in a vote by the league's head coaches, which was announced on Thursday.

The championship meet will be held on Oct. 24 in Ewing, Virginia and hosted by Lincoln Memorial. The Pioneer men are coming off an eighth place finish in last year's event while the TC women came home 11th.

On the men's side, Mars Hill is the favorite to win its 19th-straight SAC championship after receiving 121 points and eight first place votes. Queens was a close second with 115 points and three first place votes while Wingate was third with 102 points and one first place vote.

Lenoir-Rhyne was picked fourth (90 points) followed by Lincoln Memorial (81), Anderson (71), Coker (55) and Catawba (43). TC and Carson-Newman tied for ninth with 42 points while Brevard (25) and Newberry (16) rounded out the field.

On the women's side, Wingate was selected as the favorites to win its third-straight SAC Championship after receiving 125 points and eight first place votes. Queens earned four first place votes and was picked second with 114 points. Anderson (100), Lenoir-Rhyne (86) and Lincoln Memorial (83) rounded out the top five.

Mars Hill was selected sixth with 77 points followed by Brevard (48), Coker (47) and Carson-Newman (40). The Pioneers received 31 points for the 10th place selection while Catawba (30) and Newberry (18) completed the poll.

Both Tusculum squads return numerous letter-winners for the upcoming season. Top finishers Lawson Burrow (Greeneville, Tennessee/Chuckey-Doak High School) and Jacob Cutshall (Jonesborough, Tennessee/Daniel Boone HS) headline the returners on the men's side, while Samantha Vogt (Maryville, Tennessee/William Blount HS) returns to anchor the women's team in addition to senior Paige Bible (Greeneville, Tennessee/Greeneville HS).

The Pioneers will open the 2015 season on Sept. 4th at the Catawba/Chick-Fil-A Invitational in Salisbury, North Carolina. The meets will be held at the Salisbury Community Park, the host site of last year's SAC Championship.

1. Mars Hill (8) 121

2. Queens (3) 115

3. Wingate (1) 102

4. Lenoir-Rhyne 90

5. Lincoln Memorial 81

6. Anderson 71

7. Coker 55

8. Catawba 43

9. Tusculum 42

Carson-Newman 42

11. Brevard 25

12. Newberry 16

1. Wingate (8) 125

2. Queens (4) 114

3. Anderson 100

4. Lenoir-Rhyne 86

5. Lincoln Memorial 83

6. Mars Hill 77

7. Brevard 48

8. Coker 47

9. Carson-Newman 40

10. Tusculum 31

11. Catawba 30

12. Newberry 18