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University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Men Third, Women Fifth in Big South Indoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
12.04.2024 | Track and Field
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference released the 2024 Indoor Track and Field Preseason Poll on Wednesday (Dec. 4), and the UNC Asheville men's team is predicted to finish third, while the women's team is predicted to finish fifth.
2024-25 BIG SOUTH WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD PRESEASON POLL
| Rk - School (first=place votes) | Points |
| 1 - High Point (6) | 48 |
| 2 - Charleston Southern (1) | 43 |
| 3 - Gardner-Webb | 31 |
| 4 - Radford | 25 |
| 5 - UNC Asheville | 24 |
| 6 - USC Upstate | 14 |
| 7 - Winthrop | 11 |
2024-25 BIG SOUTH MEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD PRESEASON POLL
| Rk - School (first-place votes) | Points |
| 1 - High Point (6) | 36 |
| 2 - Charleston Southern | 30 |
| 3 - UNC Asheville | 19 |
| 4 - USC Upstate | 17 |
| 5 - Winthrop | 14 |
| 6 - Gardner-Webb | 10 |
Asheville's men's team returns 20 individuals from last year's squad and welcomes 19 newcomers. Asheville's returning class includes Jalen Anderson, who holds the school record in the 200m at 21.20 and won the Big South 200m Championship last season. Adam Hessler returns following two silver finishes in the 3000m and 5000m at last year's Indoor Championships. Braelin June, Jan Málek, and Jackson Core of the men's bronze-placing DMR team will also return for the Bulldogs this season. Big South Conference Cross Country Runner of the Year Patrick Kiportich will make his Collegiate debut on the track, and DaMarr Harvey, who had a strong outdoor season for Asheville with two school records and an NCAA Regional Appearance, will also represent Asheville this winter.
On the women's side, the Bulldogs return 19 ladies from last season and welcome 14 newcomers to the squad. Alison Graf, who was named Big South Conference Newcomer of the Year last season at the Indoor Championships, returns for the Dogs. Graf earned a second-place finish in the 800m at the championships with a time of 2:13.04. Bulldogs, who had a strong outdoor season that will represent Asheville this winter, includes Isabel Richardson, who set a new school record in the outdoor 1500m last spring at 4:32.21, and Francesca Cergol, who was a part of the 4x100 team, who set a new school record during the Outdoor Conference Championships. Freshman Aneta Kucerová, who just came off a successful cross country campaign, will make her collegiate debut on the track this winter.
The Bulldogs open their season on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the USC Gamecock Open.
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Players Mentioned
