ROCK HILL, S.C. – The South Atlantic Conference has picked Mount Olive to finish fourth this season. The conference office officially unveiled the preseason poll on Thursday morning.

In just their third season, the Trojans finished 2021 with a 6-9 overall mark and a 6-6 record in conference play. They finished fifth overall in the league last year after improving from a winless 2020-2021 season.

Converse was picked the preseason favorite with 61 points and five first-place votes after finishing 12-6 overall with an 8-4 mark in conference action. The Valkyries claimed the No. 1 seed in the league tournament and secured its first-ever conference championship in 2021. Limestone and Belmont Abbey tied for second in the preseason rankings with a total of 54 points. The Saints earned three first-place votes after finishing runner-up in the conference, while the Crusaders claimed the final first-place vote and posted an 11-8 record last season. The Trojans collected a total of 47 points to sit fourth in the poll and Newberry registered 38 points to complete the top five in the preseason rankings.

A native of the Netherlands, sophomore Annefleur Moerkerken was named to the preseason all-conference first-team. As a defender, Moerkerken totaled 13 points on four goals and five assists in the 2021 campaign.

UMO will face some new competition this season with an addition of Wingate, Lander, and Lincoln Memorial to the conference.

The Trojans open their season with a neutral site non-conference contest against Lynchburg in Durham, North Carolina, on Sept. 1, starting at 5 p.m.

2022 SAC Field Hockey Preseason Poll

1. Converse (5) 61

T-2. Limestone (3) 54

T-2. Belmont Abbey (1) 54

4. Mount Olive 47

5. Newberry 38

6. Coker 27

7. Wingate 19

8. Lander 14

9. Lincoln Memorial 10