AMERICUS, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern women's cross country team enters its 2020 season picked to finish sixth of 11 teams in the Peach Belt Conference according to the coaches preseason poll released today. It's the highest preseason ranking for GSW in program history. 

The Lady Hurricanes return four of their top five runners from a year ago, including sophomore Catherine Hall, who led GSW in four of six races last year and set the sixth fastest 6K time in program history on Nov. 9 at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional. Senior Quincy Mayer led the Lady Hurricanes with a third place finish at the Willie Laster Meet on Sept. 28 where she posted the ninth-fastest 5K time in school history. Sophomore Sarah Earley was the Lady Hurricanes No. 2 runner and senior Madaline Toth was No. 5 across the line for GSW at the 2019 Peach Belt Conference Championships. Junior Grace Regan returns to the field following an injury in 2019 and head coach Paula McDonald added four freshmen to the roster for 2020. Savannah Miller from Tifton, Ga., Anna Parker from Maysville, Ga., Megan Strickland from Roswell, Ga. and Brianna Zupko from Sylvester, Ga. will all have an opportunity to contribute in their first collegiate season.

Flagler College holds the top spot in the 2020 poll with 97 points and seven of 11 first place votes, followed by Augusta and North Georgia. GSW received 47 points, 10 behind fifth place UNC Pembroke. 

GSW opens its 2020 schedule on Oct. 10 at the Gary Wilson Invitational hosted by the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga. 

The full coaches poll is below. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.

2020 Peach Belt Conference Women's Cross Country
Preseason Coaches Poll