AUGUSTA, GA -- The Flagler College Saints were the unanimous choice to defend their Peach Belt Conference women's cross country championship in a poll of the league's head coaches released on Monday. The Saints received all nine available first-place votes for a maximum 81 points, 10 ahead of second-place Augusta with 71. North Georgia was third in the voting with Georgia College & State University fourth and Columbus State fifth.

Flagler has won the last six PBC women's XC titles, which is tied for the second-longest streak in PBC history and one away from matching the seven in a row Kennesaw State won from 1994-2000. The 2024 squad features two-time All-Conference finisher and 2022 PBC Champion Monique Whiteman along with 2023 All-Conference runners Enola Savel, Abby Misch, Clemence Treguer, Chloe Smith, Taylor Stone and Marissa Kempf.

Augusta has finished in third place in each of the last three PBC Championships and had a top-10 in the NCAA Southeast Regional in 2023. The Jaguars return two seniors and a graduate student at the top of the lineup, led by senior Caroline Pierce who was an All-Conference runner last season.

North Georgia won the 2017 PBC Championship and have finished in second place every year since, including a tiebreak in 2020. The Nighthawks also finished seventh at the NCAA Southeast Regionals last season, second among all PBC teams. For 2023, UNG returns five seniors and graduate students including 2023 PBC Freshman of the Year Nealeigh Broadwell. Also back is 2023 Runner of the Year Claire Mills and All-Conference senior Anna Chasteen.

The 2023 coaches poll is below. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.

2024 PBC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Flagler (9) 81

2. Augusta 71

3. UNG 60

4. GCSU 56

5. Columbus State 48

6. Clayton State 41

7. USC Aiken 38

8. Lander 25

9. USC Beaufort 20

10. GSW 10