ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum University men's and women's cross country teams have each been selected to finish seventh in the South Atlantic Conference preseason coaches polls, which were released Thursday.

The Pioneer men and women each took seventh place at last year's SAC Championship meet, with four of the men's seven runners and the top four women's runners returning for head coach Cory Pratt, who will begin his seventh season with the Pioneers.

In the men's poll, defending champion Queens grabbed 11 of the 12 first-place votes and earned the top spot in the rankings with 132 points. Anderson was second with 115 points, while Wingate collected the other first-place vote and was third with 110 points. Lincoln Memorial (98 points) checked in fourth, followed by Catawba (94), Lenoir-Rhyne (81), Tusculum (73) and Carson-Newman (68) in eighth. The bottom third of the rankings saw Mars Hill in ninth with 54 points, with Newberry (38), Coker (36) and conference newcomer UVa-Wise (25) rounding out the survey.

The women's poll was also led by Queens, with 11 first-place votes and 132 total points in the rankings. Anderson claimed second place with 113 points, with Lenoir-Rhyne taking third with 107 points. Wingate had the other first-place vote and was fourth with 97 points, followed by Catawba (94 points) and Carson-Newman (93) to round out the top half of the rankings. Tusculum's 77 points were followed by Lincoln Memorial (63 points) in eighth, Mars Hill (48) and Newberry. Coker (33 points) and league newcomer UVa-Wise (27) wrapped up the 12-team poll.

The Pioneers will open their 2019 season by hosting the Zaxby's Open on Friday, Sept. 6 at the Holston Home for Children course in Greeneville.

2019 South Atlantic Conference Men's Cross Country
Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rk  School (1st)         Pts
1.  Queens (11)          132
2.  Anderson             115
3.  Wingate (1)          110
4.  Lincoln Memorial      98
5.  Catawba               94
6.  Lenoir-Rhyne          81
7.  TUSCULUM              73
8.  Carson-Newman         68
9.  Mars Hill             54
10. Newberry              38
11. Coker                 36
12. UVa-Wise              25


2019 South Atlantic Conference Women's Cross Country 
Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rk  School (1st)         Pts
1.  Queens (11)          132
2.  Anderson             113
3.  Lenoir-Rhyne         107
4.  Wingate (1)           97
5.  Catawba               94
6.  Carson-Newman         93
7.  TUSCULUM              77
8.  Lincoln Memorial      63
9.  Mars Hill             48
10. Newberry              40
11. Coker                 33
12. UVa-Wise              27