South Atlantic Conference Cross Country Teams Gear Up for Championships on Saturday (Video)

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The 2015 South Atlantic Conference Championship season begins Saturday as all 12 member institutions will compete at the SAC Cross Country Championships in Pineville, Ky.

The women's championship 5K race will start at 9:00 a.m., followed by the men's 8K one hour later at 10:00 a.m. The races will occur at the Wasioto Winds Golf Course.

Wingate will look to defend their back-to-back SAC titles in the women's championship, which was their program's third. The Bulldogs had five of their runners place in the top 15 at the 2014 SAC Championship.

Among the competitors in the women's field will be last year's Conference runner-up and reigning NCAA Women's Southeast Regional champion, Catie Byrd of Queens. The senior crossed the line at the 2014 Championships in a time of 18:28, 16 seconds behind the first place runner. She continued her notable junior season by becoming the first female runner at Queens to win an individual title at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Meet. Byrd was also a First Team All-Conference selection. Reigning Freshman of the Year Haylee Love of Anderson is also in the mix and will look to build momentum off of her impressive sophomore season. The Trojans are currently ranked third on the USTFCCCA women's Southeast Regional poll.

Also on the USTFCCCA Southeast Regional poll is Wingate at No. 2 and Queens at No. 4.

In the men's championship, Mars Hill seeks to continue their run after collecting another SAC title last year, improving their record to 18-straight conference titles. Mars Hill also won the men's Southeast Regional Championship last year when three of its runners placed in the top 15. Senior Alex Griggs - a three time SAC Runner of the Week this season - finished second place at last year's SAC Championship in an 8K time of 25:57.74. He has since broke Mars Hill's 8K record and helped the Lions to numerous top five finishes this season. The Lions are ranked fifth in the USTFCCCA Southeast Region heading into the SAC Championship.

Ahead of the Lions in the poll is Queens, who sit at No. 2; the Royals took home the second place finish last year, short of first place by 14 points. Queens claimed a third place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional meet with sophomore James Hollingsworth leading the Royals with an eighth place finish. Lincoln Memorial also makes an appearance on the Southeast Region poll, coming in at No. 8. The Railsplitters finished sixth at last years' Conference meet.

The SAC was well represented in the 2014 NCAA Southeastern Regional Meet with nine of the member institutions competing.

Complete results of the SAC Cross Country Championship will be available on theSAC.com shortly after the completion of both races.