VIDEO: Rachel Strayer Interview

VIDEO: Raymond Brugmans Interview

SAC Release: Men's Poll

SAC Release: Women's Poll

ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Carson-Newman women's cross country squad was predicted to finish seventh place while the men were predicted to finish eighth place in the 2021 SAC cross country preseason poll announced on Thursday, Aug. 26.

This is the fourth straight preseason poll the men's team has been ranked eighth to start the cross country season. The women been predicted to finish inside the top-10 of the South Atlantic Conference every year since 2010.

Queens were selected to win the conference championship for both the men's and women's cross country seasons, earning 156 points and 12 first-place votes in the both polls. Wingate was slotted at second-place in both polls, earning 138 points and one first-place vote in the men's poll and 144 points and one first-place vote in the women's poll.

The Eagles last competed in cross country during the 2019 season. The men recorded three top-10 finishes, placing third at the Lenoir-Rhyne Meet, 10th at the Wingate Invitational and eighth at the 2019 SAC Cross Country Championships. The men also placed 14th at the 2019 NCAA Southeast Regional. Conal McCambridge finished 35th at the regional final. 

Raymond Brugmans was selected as a runner to watch by the media for the Carson-Newman men's cross country team. This will be Brugmans first year running cross country, but the Netherlands native had a successful indoor track & field season in 2020, finishing just eight seconds from tying the school record in the men's indoor 800 meter run in his first race at Carson-Newman with a time of 1:57.79. Brugmans recorded his first career win in the mile race at the 2021 Run As Fast As You Can Invitational with a time of 4:35.57. 

"Coach Spooner has made us a real team and has helped us improve," says Brugmans. "It's been awhile since we've competed in a cross country race and there's no way to go but up. We're ready to race and I think we can surprise the whole conference."

On the women's side, the Eagles recorded two top-10 finishes, placing second at the Lenoir-Rhyne Meet and seventh at the 2019 SAC Cross Country Championships. The women placed 17th at the 2019 NCAA Southeast Regional, with Rachel Strayer becoming the first female cross country All-American for Carson-Newman since 2008 after she finished sixth at the regional championships.

"We have a lot of really talented transfers that have come in and will help our team," says Strayer. "Coach Spooner has also been helping us get back into shape and get ready with a lot of different workouts that we didn't have two years ago but they're what we need to succeed."

Strayer was selected as a runner to watch by the media for the Carson-Newman women's cross country team. The senior from Murfreesboro, Tenn. had a phenomenal 2019 season, kicking off the year by winning the Lenoir-Rhyne Invitational 5K in 2019 with a time of 19.01.85. Strayer then placed third at the 2019 Louisville Classic with a time of 18.12.05 and finished fifth at the 2019 SAC Championships with a 6K time of 22:50.0 to earn First-team All-SAC honors. With her 6th place finish at the 2019 NCAA DII Southeast Regional with a 6K time of 22:20.60, Strayer became the first Carson-Newman women's cross country runner to compete at the NCAA DII National Championships since 2008. Strayer is also the only female Eagle in school history to have a sub-19 minute time in the 5K. 

"These past few weeks have reminded me why I love cross country," says Strayer. "I'm super excited to get back on the course and finish ever higher at the SAC Championships." 

The Eagles will compete for the first time in almost two years at the Tusculum Open on Friday, Sept. 3. The meet will also be the coaching debut of new cross country and distance coach Mike Spooner. For more information and a full cross country schedule, go to cneagles.com.

2021 SAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll

2021 SAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll