The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) has released the 2016 Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll and Johnson State College has been ranked in a tie for eighth in a vote conducted by the league's coaches.

Johnson State fifth-year head coach Shawn Woods will rely on returning junior Brynn Cairns (Rutland, Vt.) and senior Alyssa August (Granby, Conn.) to improve on their 10th place finish at the NAC Championship last season. Newcomers Emily McCarthy (Farmington, Maine) and Lily Denmeade (Quchee, Vt.) will also be looked upon to make immediate impacts. Johnson opens the season at the SUNY Canton Kangaroo Invitational on September 1. The Badgers will also play host to this year's NAC Championship on October 29.

Click here to view the full NAC release