HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University women's track & field team was picked to finish fourth in the Big South preseason poll, the league announced Thursday.

The Panthers received 51 points to earn the No. 4 spot. Coastal Carolina (six first-place votes) grabbed the top spot with 78 points, while Liberty (two first-place votes) was picked second with 73 points. Campbell earned one first place vote and 62 points overall to check in at No. 3. After High Point, Charleston Southern (47) was picked fifth while Radford (32) was sixth. Winthrop (7th, 25), Gardner-Webb (8th, 23) and UNC Asheville (9th, 14) rounded out the poll.

The Panthers coming off a fifth place finish at the Big South Indoor Championships, the best result in five years for HPU. The distance medley relay team that finished second last year returns with junior Katie Farina, senior Emily Fischer and sophomore Natalia Ocasio. Juniors Jill Marois and Alyssa Palenchar finished second and third in the indoor pole vault and return this year. Sophomore Sara Katherine Kirkpatrick also will suit up again for the Panthers after finishing a solid eighth in the pentathlon at last year's indoor league meet.

"Our women's team has some bright spots returning this year," associate head coach Eric Dudley said. "We're looking forward to seeing Cozette Collin and Julia Zautcke get back to their favorite seasons after a strong season last year. We also expect great things from Marois and Palenchar after a strong finish in the pole vault last season."

The 2014-15 Big South women's indoor track & field season resumes the weekend of January 16-18, 2015.  The 2015 Big South Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship is slated for Feb. 26-27 at JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Big South Women's Indoor Track & Field Preseason Poll
1) Coastal Carolina (6)
2) Liberty (2)
3) Campbell (1)
4) High Point
5) Charleston Southern
6) Radford
7) Winthrop
8) Gardner-Webb
9) UNC Asheville

#GoHPU