Eagles Picked Sixth in SAC Preseason Men's Cross Country Poll

ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Carson-Newman men's cross country team is picked to finish sixth in the South Atlantic Conference in 2010 in a vote of the league's head coaches, conference officials announced Friday.

The Eagles received 48 points. The preseason All-SAC teams were also released, and C-N senior Jonathan Madden (Franklin, Tenn.) was named to the second team.

Mars Hill, which has won 13 consecutive SAC cross country championships, is the unanimous choice to capture the 2010 title.

The Lions received all 10 first place votes and 100 total points. The Lions are traditionally deep with running talent, and this year should be no exception. Mars Hill returns five runners named to the preseason All-Conference team. Kit Powell, Justin Gragg, Trey McCain and Aaron Thomas, who finished second, third, fourth and seventh in last year's conference championship race, were named to the first team. Eric Blackburn, was named to the second team.

Lenoir-Rhyne, which finished second last year, is picked to claim second. The Bears received 83 total points. The Bears placed four on the preseason All-Conference team. Tyler Mooney, who finished fifth last year, was named to the first team, while Jakob Maidens, Patrick Ryan and Zack Queen were named to the second team.

First-year conference member Anderson received 71 points and is picked to finish third. The Trojans finished third last year in the Conference Carolinas championship.

Wingate was close behind with 70 total points. The Bulldogs will host the 2010 Food Lion SAC Cross Country Championship.

Catawba is fifth in the poll with 65 points. The Indians placed a pair of runners on the preseason All-Conference team. Christian Crifasi, the 2009 SAC Freshman Runner of the Year, was named to the first team, while Justin Smith was named to the second team.

Brevard College received 45 points for seventh place.

Lincoln Memorial is eighth with 29 points, followed by Newberry College with 24 points.

Tusculum College rounds out the poll with 15 points. The Pioneers do return the 2009 SAC Runner of the Year in Simon Holzapfel.

The Eagles open the season on Sept. 4 in the Eye Opener Invitational in Spartanburg, S.C.

The 2010 Food Lion SAC Cross Country Championship will be on Nov. 6 at Wingate University.

2010 SAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
Men Pts
Mars Hill (10) 100
Lenoir-Rhyne 83
Anderson 71
Wingate 70
Catawba 65
Carson-Newman 48
Brevard 45
Lincoln Memorial 29
Newberry 24
Tusculum 15
(First place votes in parenthesis)

2010 SAC Men's Cross Country Preseason All-Conference Team
First Team
Christian Crifasi, Catawba
Tyler Mooney, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kit Powell, Mars Hill
Justin Gragg, Mars Hill
Trey McCain, Mars Hill
Aaron Thomas, Mars Hill
Simon Holzapfel, Tusculum

Second Team
Jonathan Madden, Carson-Newman
Justin Smith, Catawba
Jakob Maidens, Lenoir-Rhyne
Patrick Ryan, Lenoir-Rhyne
Zack Queen, Lenoir-Rhyne
Derrick Lindsay, Lincoln Memorial
Eric Blackburn, Mars Hill