WATERVILLE, ME- The North Atlantic Conference (NAC0 has released its annual Pre-season poll for Women's Cross Country and Thomas was seeded eighth, voted by the coaches.

The Terriers will begin their season at New England College on Friday, Aug. 31.

NAC RELEASE

Husson University received four first-place votes, and was picked to successfully defend its 2011 North Atlantic Conference Women's Cross Country Championship in a preseason poll of the conference coaches.

The poll appears to speak to the competitive balance of this year's teams, as less than 30 points separated the top-five teams and four different squads received at least one first-place vote.

The Eagles won the 2011 title by a mere seven points over Colby-Sawyer College, which finished second in this year's poll, receiving three first-place votes. Husson returns four all-conference runners from a season ago, including sophomore first-teamer, Alecia Palmer.

Colby-Sawyer returns a trio of all-conference first team honorees, including 2011 NAC Rookie of the Year Caila Walker, who edged out Husson's Palmer and teammate Emma Dunn for the honor by 28 and 34 seconds respectively at last year's championship.

Castleton was picked third in the poll, and is led by sophomore Mariah Eilers who finished sixth overall, and was the fourth-fastest freshman.

University of Maine at Farmington garnered a pair of first-place votes and follows Castleton in the poll and returns the reigning NAC Runner of the Year in Salena Sykes.

Lyndon picked up the final first-place vote and finished fifth in the overall voting

2012 Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll

1.	Husson	93 (4)
2.	Colby-Sawyer	83 (3)
3.	Castleton	77
4.	U. Maine-Farmington	72 (2)
5.	Lyndon	64 (1)
6.	Green Mountain	45
7.	New England College	44
8.	Maine Maritime	29
9.	Thomas	22
10.	Johnson State	21