Wednesday, August 10, 2011

MACON, Ga. – North Florida claimed top prize in the Atlantic Sun Conference Women’s Cross Country Coaches Poll, announced Wednesday by the league office. The Ospreys, who won the 2010 A-Sun Championship by 18 points with four finishers in the top-14, received first-place votes from eight of the league coaches.

Lipscomb landed in the second spot with two-first place votes after a second-place finish in 2010 – the best in program history. The Lady Bisons placed three on the all-conference team in 2010 led by Dani Walker’s fourth-place finish.

Jacksonville, Belmont and USC Upstate finished out the remainder of the top-five. The Bruins have claimed eight A-Sun Championships since 2001, while the Dolphins last won the title in 2009. The Spartans, who hosted the 2010 Championship, finished fourth last season, which tied the program best since joining the A-Sun.

FGCU, Mercer and Kennesaw State laid claim to the next three spots in the preseason poll. The Eagles and Bears finished sixth and seventh at the A-Sun Championship in 2010, while the Owls earned ninth place. ETSU and Stetson rounded out the remainder of the preseason tally.

Belmont and the Vaughn’s Gap Cross Country Course serves as hosts of the 2011 A-Sun Cross Country Championship on October 29th. The course is located within Percy Warner Park just nine miles from downtown Nashville and served as the course for the 2004 and 2007 A-Sun Championships.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is an NCAA Division I league with 10 member institutions committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun meets the challenge of maintaining the highest standards in academic and athletic achievement with a true balance between student and athlete. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.