HCAC Releases Women's Golf Preseason Poll

DEFIANCE, OHIO - Defiance College women's golf landed ninth in the annual Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference preseason poll. The poll, released by the conference office Monday morning, saw Transylvania secure top position after winning the HCAC Championship in 2018. 

The Pioneers picked up 87 points and six first place votes in the polling. Rose-Hulman followed in a close second with 83 points and three first place votes. Hanover claimed third in the polling, securing 70 points. Mount st. Joseph and Earlham rounded out the top five with 64 and 54 points respectively. 

Franklin and Manchester landed knotted at sixth place with 41 points to begin the bottom half of the rankings. Bluffton finished just five points ahead of DC, claiming 25 points in the poll. The Yellow Jackets secured 20 points, followed by Anderson with 10 points to round out the polling. 

Shelby Mercer, the lone returning Yellow Jacket, landed on the HCAC Athletes to Watch list for the 2019 season. The sophomore featured in nine tournaments for the Purple and Gold during 2018. Mercer shot her best round during the 2018 HCAC Championship with an 86. 

The Yellow Jackets will begin the season Saturday, August 31, as they travel to Olivet College for the Olivet Invitational.