NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Trinity University women are fourth in the South/Southeast and the Colorado College women are ninth in the West according to preseason cross country rankings released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Complete USTFCCA Regional Rankings

The Trinity University women won their second Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference cross country championship with a perfect score of 15, as Tiger runners finished in first through fifth place for the second consecutive year at the Clyde Fant course in Shreveport, La.

The Tigers have to replace four seniors from a squad that not only won back-to-back SCAC titles but also back-to-back South/Southeast Region championships. The group of Maddie Murphy (2011 and 2013 SCAC Runner-of-the-Year), Venessa Moreno (2012 SCAC Runner-of-the-Year), Rosemary Steup and Jackie Newell, who finished 1-2-3-5 at last year's conference meet, will be missed, but first-year head coach Emily Daum does not take over an empty cupboard.

Seniors Michelle Oberndorf (fourth - 22:47.1), Nicola Hill (seventh - 23:14.8) and Autumn Kervella (ninth - 23:28.5) return as does junior Mariana Sigala (14th - 23:51.0) - all of who earned All-SCAC accolades in 2013.

Colorado College will count on returning All-SCAC performers senior Rebecca Lavietes (sixth – 23:10.1) and sophomores Leah Wessler (23:39.3) and Allison Crimmins (12th - 23:48.1). Wessler earned 2013 SCAC Freshman-of-the-Year honors.

Trinity opens defense of its SCAC championship by hosting the Trinity University Alamo City Opener on Friday, August 29. Fellow conference competitors in the event include Schreiner University and Texas Lutheran University. Colorado College opens its season a day later (Saturday, August 30) at the University of Colorado Time Trial.

For a complete 2014 SCAC Women's Cross Country composite schedule, click here.