MACON, Ga. - The Kennesaw State women’s cross country team placed in a tie for third with USC Upstate in the Atlantic Sun Conference in a preseason poll voted on by head coaches around the A-Sun, the conference announced on Wednesday.

The Owls received 89 points, placing behind perennial powerhouse Jacksonville (116) and North Florida (98). JU received nine of 11 first place votes around the conference, while Lipscomb received two.
The Owls will look to senior Mackenzie Howe to lead the way for the squad, which will feature three freshmen and one transfer and leaves Howe as the only returnee.

Howe had a banner year last season, claiming First team All A-Sun honors with a second place finish at the A-Sun Championship and five A-Sun Runner of the Week awards, including four and a row at one point. Her second place finish at the A-Sun Championship snapped her perfect record on the season, as she had won her first six races of the season to that point. Her 2009 culminated with an 18th place performance at the NCAA South Region Championship, allowing her to garner NCAA All-South Region honors.

“I think we might be ranked too high,” said head coach Stan Sims. “We are bringing back Mackenzie Howe, but otherwise we are really thin numbers wise. I don’t know them as well as I would like, but how good we can be depends on those girls. I just have to see what they are made of but I think we have a good group of girls.”

Assisting the Owls on the coaching staff for the first time will be former Kennesaw State cross country star Erin Sutton. Sutton capped off a decorated career with the Owls last season with a sixth place finish at the A-Sun Championship, giving her all-conference honors for the fourth time in her career.

Sims and his squad will take the starting line for the first time on Sept. 4 when they travel to Jacksonville, Ala. for the Jacksonville State Invitational.

                       
                       2010 A-Sun Women's Cross Country- Preseason Poll

1	Jacksonville
2	UNF
T3	USC Upstate
T3	Kennesaw State
5	Lipscomb
6	Belmont
7	FGCU
T8	Campbell
T8	Mercer
10	ETSU
11	Stetson