NEW ORLEANS -- The Christopher Newport cross country teams will kick off the 2022 campaign ranked in the top-five in the South Region as the men were slotted third, while the women were picked fourth in the Preseason Coaches Rankings, which were announced on Tuesday afternoon by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

In the South Region, the men were ranked just behind Lynchburg and Emory, while the women trailed only Lynchburg, Washington & Lee, and Emory.

Christopher Newport is coming off of a solid 2021 campaign during which the Captains were mainstays in the regional rankings. The men finished last year ranked third in the South and spent two weeks listed in the top-35 nationally. Meanwhile, the women spent seven weeks slotted in the top-five in the region before finishing fourth at the NCAA South Championships in November.

Under the guidance of head coach Tyler Wingard, Christopher Newport welcomes back a solid contingent of veteran standouts in 2022. On the men's side, juniors Daniel Ferrante and Nathanael Ferrante both secured All-South accolades last year after placing in the top-20 at the Regional Championships. Meanwhile, Nick Tolarchyk also picked up All-Conference laurels for his work at the league meet.

For the women, Madi Rawlings leads the award-winning veterans after notching All-Region plaudits following a 35th-place showcase at the South Championships last year. She and senior Mae Savoie also garnered All-Conference nods in 2021.

Christopher Newport will kick off the 2022 season on September 3 with a trip to the Spider Alumni Open in Mechanicsville, Virginia. The Captains will also host a pair of meets this season, including the NCAA Regional Championships at Lee Hall Mansion on November 12.

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