AUGUSTA, Ga. - The University of North Georgia cross country team was unanimously voted as the favorite to win the Peach Belt Conference women's cross country championship as announced by the league office Monday morning. It is the first time in program history that the Nighthawks have been picked preseason favorites.

"We are honored to be favored for the first time ever in the Peach Belt Conference," stated head coach Tom Williams. "We have a respect for this position and will now have to go out and prove ourselves as a team on the course." 

UNG was given all 10 first-place votes to earn a maximum score of 100 in the preseason poll. Augusta was picked second, followed by Flagler, UNC Pembroke and Georgia College.

North Georgia has finished second in each of the last three PBC championships.

The poll was voted on by the league's head coaches with each first-place vote receiving 10 points, nine for second and so on. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team.

The Nighthawks will open the 2017 season on September 1 at the JSU Strut's Season Opener in Oxford, Alabama.