SAC releases preseason polls, Swimmers to Watch
The Mars Hill women's swim team was tabbed fifth in the 2023 South Atlantic Conference Women's Swimming preseason poll, released by the league Monday morning.
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The Wingate University Bulldogs have been picked as the favorites to win the 2023 South Atlantic Conference Women's Swimming Championship, according to the preseason coaches' poll released today.
The Bulldogs earned 24 points in the poll with four first place votes.
Carson-Newman University earned the second spot with 22 points and two first place votes, while Lenoir-Rhyne University placed third in the poll with 17 points and Catawba College placed fourth with 13 points.
Mars Hill University and Emory & Henry College came in at a tie for the No. 5 spot with seven points each to round out the poll.
This will be the first year the SAC has sponsored men's and women's swimming as a championship sport. Featuring six teams, all of which competed in the former Bluegrass Mountain Conference. Wingate placed second as a team in last year's Bluegrass Mountain Championship, followed by Carson-Newman in third, Lenoir-Rhyne in fifth, Catawba in sixth, Mars Hill in seventh, and Emory & Henry in eighth.
In addition to the preseason poll, the SAC also released the Women's Swimmers to Watch list. This list includes the top athletes from each school to keep an eye on during the 2022-23 swimming season. The full list of athletes to watch is listed below by team.
The 2022-23 SAC swimming season got underway earlier this month and will continue until the 2023 SAC Men's and Women's Swimming Championships at the Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center in Charlotte, N.C. February 8-11.
2022-23 SAC WOMEN'S SWIMMING PRESEASON POLL
|
Rank |
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
|
1. |
Wingate (4) |
24 |
|
2. |
Carson-Newman (2) |
22 |
|
3. |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
17 |
|
4. |
Catawba |
13 |
|
T-5. |
Mars Hill |
7 |
|
T-5. |
Emory & Henry |
7 |
2022-23 SAC Women's Swimmers to Watch
Carson-Newman
Rachel Peden
Manon Compagner
Kyla Blakemore
Catawba
Marit Reckmann
Emory & Henry
Mackenzie Barnette
Hope Christiansen
Mick Sorochen
Lenoir-Rhyne
Lisa Boernigen
Elizabeth Bowman
Ella Penny
Mars Hill
Maria Arrabal
Cassidy Hull
Wingate
Kate Agger
Marta Beesmans Barquero
Lily Sanocki
