ROCK HILL, S.C. - The South Atlantic Track & Field Preseason Polls have been announced. The Lenoir-Rhyne women's track & field program was selected to finish second in the conference, and the men were picked to finish third. 

The Athletes to watch on the women's side were Sharonda Priester, Jani Day, and Mackenzie Pringle. The athletes to watch on the men's side consisted of Havyn Spain, Ilias El Khattabi, Tobechukwu Nwokocha, and Antonyio Davis. Lenoir-Rhyne is no stranger to conference success as both the men's and women's track & field teams were the runner-ups last year at the indoor and outdoor SAC Championships. 

The Bears open their season this weekend at the Winston salem College Kickoff, hosted by the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C. Field events start at 9:30 a.m. and track events being at 10:00 a.m.

2025-26 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Wingate - 131 points (10 first-place votes)
2. Lenoir-Rhyne - 111 points (1 first-place vote)
3. Catawba - 106 points (1 first-place vote)
4. Tusculum - 98 points
5. Lincoln Memorial - 95 points
6. Anderson - 92 points
7. Carson-Newman - 76 points
8. Newberry - 62 points
9. Mars Hill - 48 points 
T10. UVA Wise - 37 points
T10. Emory & Henry - 37 points
12. Coker - 31

2025-26 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE MEN'S TRACK & FIELD PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Wingate - 131 points (10 first-place votes)
2. Carson-Newman - 110 points 
3. Lenoir-Rhyne - 109 points (1 first-place vote)
4. Catawba - 104 points (1 first-place vote)
5. Anderson - 103 points
6. Tusculum - 72 points
7. Mars Hill - 71 points
8. Emory & Henry - 65 points
9. Lincoln Memorial - 54 points
10. Newberry - 43 points 
11. UVA Wise - 35 points
12. Coker - 27 points