SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo women's cross country team will start off the 2017 campaign in the same place as they appeared in the final 2016 South Region poll: as the top program in the South Region.

The Lions were placed in the top spot when the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II preseason regional rankings were unveiled on Tuesday.

Saint Leo was placed ahead of Lee (Tenn.), Montevallo, and Union (Tenn.) out of the Gulf South Conference, with Sunshine State Conference rival Tampa slotted fifth.

Winners of two of the last three SSC Championships, Saint Leo women's cross country will be seeking another conference crown to continue its run, while claiming the NCAA South Region title that has thus far eluded the Lions.

"I think the women understand that now, with the talent that we have, that there's a little bit more of an expectation," said Kent Reiber, Saint Leo's head cross country coach who enters his third year at the head of the program. "I think they've embraced the fact that we want to go back-to-back in winning the conference championship, we want to win the elusive South Region title that we didn't get last year, and they know that it's going to be a little bit harder, but they're more ready now than they've ever been to rise to the occasion and join the hunt."

The Lions return the services of four of their five scoring runners from last season – all of whom were All-South Region performers – and all three runners who ended up being pushers in the scoring.

Headlining that group is two-time USTFCCCA All-American Colett Rampf, who will be seeking an unprecedented fourth-straight SSC individual title. Behind her are talented juniors Alyssa Bayliff and Laura Tobin, who may both be in position to stake their own All-America claim in 2017 after earning All-South Region and All-SSC honors a year ago. Lauren Csubak, who made great strides of improvement (no pun intended) in 2016 and finished the season among the top 10 at the SSC meet, also returns for her senior campaign after earning All-South Region and All-SSC honors last season.

But that quartet of all-region caliber runners just scratches the surface of the depth that is featured on the Lions' roster.

Junior Noemi Anaya, who effectively became the Lions' no. 6 runner by the end of the season, will be counted upon to show more improvement as the fifth scorer for Saint Leo in 2017.

Challenging to be counted among the Lions' scorers will be senior Haley Roussell, who turned in a strong performance in last season's SSC meet, and sophomore Fatima Abu-Rumman. Junior Heidi-Jay Churchill may be a factor as well – and all that is before Saint Leo's freshman class is factored into the equation.

"Haley could turn out to be our no. 5 runner. She put in an unbelievable amount of work over the summer and is going to be much better this year. Noemi (Anaya) will definitely be up there. Heidi-Jay (Churchill) put in a lot of work over the summer, and we'll be looking at her to make an impact upon the top seven."

"Really the five through eight spots on the roster are totally wide open," said Reiber in summary.

Saint Leo women's cross country opens the 2017 season on Saturday, Sept. 2, at the Southeastern University Fire Short Course Invitational.

2017 Saint Leo Women's Cross Country at a Glance

Head Coach: Kent Reiber (Third season)
2016 SSC Finish: 1st (Second SSC title in three seasons)
2016 NCAA South Region Finish: 2nd
2016 NCAA Championship Finish: 25th
Returning Scorers: Colett Rampf, Sr. (2x USTFCCCA XC All-American, 3x SSC WXC Champion); Alyssa Bayliff, Jr. (All-South Region, All-SSC); Laura Tobin, Jr. (All-South Region, All-SSC); Lauren Csubak, Sr. (All-South Region, All-SSC).
Other Returnees: Fatima Abu-Rumman, So.; Noemi Anaya, Jr.; Heidi-Jay Churchill, Jr.; Tiffany Gargiulo, Sr.; Haley Roussell, Sr.
Newcomers: Mercy Kibet, Fr. (Eldoret, Kenya); Sage Lyons, Fr. (Sarasota, Fla.); Anapaula Rios Rosales, Fr. (Wesley Chapel, Fla.), Maria Fernandez, Fr. (Malaga, Spain)