ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams have each been picked to finish fifth in the SAC this season, as voted on by the South Atlantic Conference Coaches.
Holden Hamlin and
Chase Bryant were selected as men's runners to watch, while
Regly Jemutai,
Maria Carmona, and
Caitlyn Christie were named Lenoir-Rhyne's women's runners to watch.
This will be the first year with head coach
Bob Braman, who joined LR following a storied career at Florida State and the University of South Florida. During his time at FSU, Braman coached the Seminoles to three outdoor track & field titles, as well as 20 combined top-10 NCAA Championship finishes across men's & women's cross country and track and field.
Last season saw Lenoir-Rhyne women's program take fifth at the conference championships, led by a 12th place finish from
Sabrina Fleig. The men finshed their 8k course in sixth, led by senior
Jacob Parkinson's seventh place finish. Parkinson would advance to the NCAA National Championships and take 65th out of 259 competitors.
This year the Bears open up their season on Friday, September 5th, at the Converse Invitational in Spartanburg, South Carolina. They compete in three races in September, and one early in October before heading to Greeneville, Tennessee, to take part in the SAC Championships on Saturday, October 25th. The NCAA Southeast Regional will be on Saturday, November 8th, at the Wingate XC Facility in Wingate, N.C.
2025 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Wingate - 110 points (11 first-place votes)
2. Anderson - 97 points (1 first-place vote)
3. Catawba - 91 points
4. Lincoln Memorial - 80 points
5. Lenoir-Rhyne - 67 points
6. Emory & Henry - 62 points
T7. Carson-Newman - 46 points
T7 - Mars Hill - 46 points
9 - UVA Wise - 25 points
10. Newberry - 19 points
11. Tusculum - 17 points
12. Coker - 12 points
2025 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Wingate - 110 points (11 first-place votes)
2. Catawba - 98 points (1 first-place vote)
T3. Lincoln Memorial - 86 points
T3. Anderson - 86 points
5. Lenoir-Rhyne - 67 points
6. Carson-Newman - 58 points
7. Emory & Henry - 47 points
8. Mars Hill - 44 points
9. UVA Wise - 30 points
10. Tusculum - 18 points
11. Newberry - 16 points
12. Coker - 12 points
