AUGUSTA, Ga. – The University of South
Carolina Aiken women's cross country team has been selected
11th in the 2013 Peach Belt Conference Preseason Poll,
as voted on by the league's head coaches.
“I am very excited about this season,” head coach Kara
Kreutzer said. “The team has put forth a lot of hard work in
the off-season. We have more experience now than my first two years
– and this is a year we have been building toward.”
The Pacers are coming off a 23rd-place finish at the
2012 Southeast Regional Championship. USC Aiken took home
11th place in the 2012 PBC Championship that was hosted
by Montevallo.
The squad is loaded with upperclassmen as she has two seniors and
five juniors.
USC Aiken has five regular-season meets and will open its year at
the Pre-Conference Meet in Americus, Ga., on Sept. 7. The Pacers
host the Bridgestone-Pacer Invitational on Friday, Oct. 4.
Returning to the mix is Keely Gillespie, who won her first career
individual title in 2012 at the Francis Marion Invitational. She
also bolstered a 13th-place effort at the Southeast
Regional Championship.
Columbus State was selected as the preseason favorite while
Clayton State and Montevallo rounded out the top three.
Preseason Poll
1. Columbus State
2. Clayton State
3. Montevallo
4. UNC Pembroke
5. Flagler
5. GRU Augusta
7. Young Harris
8. Georgia College
9. North Georgia
10. Georgia Southwestern
11. USC Aiken
12. Francis Marion
