GREENVILLE, S.C. – Southern Wesleyan has been chosen as the favorite in the 2020-21 Conference Carolinas Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll.
 
The conference office officially unveiled the preseason poll on Dec. 3, 2020. The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches.
 
Southern Wesleyan received a total of 86 points to collect the top spot in the preseason poll. The Warriors picked up four first-place votes. Defending champion King was tabbed second in the preseason tally with 76 points. The Tornado received three first-place votes. Erskine (74) was selected third in the poll with the Flying Fleet collecting two first-place votes. North Greenville was just behind Erskine in fourth with 73 total points.
 
Mount Olive received one first-place and a total of 67 points to sit fifth in the preseason tally. Belmont Abbey was sixth in the preseason poll with 55 points. The Crusaders picked up a first-place vote as well.
 
Emmanuel (47) was seventh in the preseason poll followed by Converse (46), Lees-McRae (40), Barton (28) and Chowan (13).
 
The 2020-21 Conference Carolinas Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships are scheduled to be held at Frank Liske Park in Concord, North Carolina on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021.
 
2020-21 Conference Carolinas
Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
                                        
Southern Wesleyan                                               
King                                                     
Erskine                            
North Greenville                                                         
Mount Olive                                          
Belmont Abbey                                  
Emmanuel                                                                      
Converse                                                                           
Lees-McRae                                                                       
Barton                                                                                 
Chowan                                                      
 
2020-21 Conference Carolinas Women's Cross Country
Athletes to Watch
 
Belmont Abbey
Rachel Lang, Sr., Martinez, Georgia (2019 All-Conference Carolinas)
Grace Hetzel, Jr., Weddington, North Carolina
Meghan Little, Fr., Charlotte, North Carolina
 
Chowan
Lela Knight, Sr., Poquoson, Virginia
 
Converse
Piper Grant, So., Rock Hill, South Carolina
Caroline Felkel, Jr., Campobello, South Carolina
 
Emmanuel
Alex Quarels, Sr., Rome, Georgia (2019 All-Conference Carolinas)

Erskine
Lizzie Naval, So., Summerville, South Carolina (2019 All-Conference Carolinas, 2019 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
Morgan Dutton, Fr., Iva, South Carolina
Holly Huffstetler, So., Tega Cay, South Carolina
 
King
Katy Neubert, So., Johnson City, Tennessee (2019 All-Conference Carolinas)
Meg Davis, Jr., Kingsport, Tennessee
Destiny Haller, Fr., Johnson City, Tennessee
 
Lees-McRae
Deanna Betzer, So., New Columbia, Pennsylvania (2019 All-Conference Carolinas)
Megan Deal, Fr., Salisbury, North Carolina
McKenzie Lawrence, So., Lenoir, North Carolina
 
Mount Olive
Vennise Shelton, Fr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Monique Whiteman, Fr., Rangitikei, New Zealand
 
North Greenville
Anna Bevis, Fr., Spartanburg, South Carolina
Grace Valentine, Jr., Campobello, South Carolina
 
Southern Wesleyan
Madison Lewellen, Jr., Bluffton, South Carolina (2019 All-Conference Carolinas)
Kyra Hood, Sr., Northport, Alabama