ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Host school Tusculum College is one of three top seeds heading into this weekend's Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournaments. Tusculum is the top seed in the women's soccer tourney. Wingate University claimed a share of the conference regular season championship in men's soccer and is the top seed in that tournament. And for volleyball, Presbyterian College is the top seed.

Women's Soccer

Tourney Brackets (PDF format)

Tusculum, the defending Food Lion South Atlantic Conference women's soccer tournament champions, is the top seed for the second consecutive year heading into the 2001 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women's Soccer Tournament.

The Pioneers are ranked fifth in the latest NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division II Southeast Region poll. They are led by Rachel Barron, last year's SAC Freshman of the Year, Elaine Green, who leads the SAC in assists, and freshman standout Franmarie Gregg.

Second seed Presbyterian is led by Jessi Adair, who ranks fourth in the conference in goals scored, while third seed Catawba is led by standout goalie Kim Clayton, who has recorded six shutouts this season. Wingate, the fourth seed, has the SAC's leading scorer in Julie Law.

The women's soccer tournament begins Wednesday, with four matches at the home field of the top four seeds.

Newberry will face Tusculum at 4 p.m.; Mars Hill will be at Presbyterian at 4 p.m.; Carson-Newman will be at Catawba at 4 p.m.; and Lenoir-Rhyne will be at Wingate at 2 p.m.

Winners will advance to Saturday's semifinals at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn. The finals are Sunday at 2 p.m.

Men's Soccer

Tourney Brackets (PDF format)

Wingate University claimed a share of the conference regular season championship in men's soccer and is the top seed in the tournament. The Bulldogs won their only conference tournament title in 1994.

The Bulldogs are led by Ben Hill, the SAC's leading scorer, and Hyrum Hoecherl, who leads the conference in assists.

Second seed Presbyterian has the conference's top-rated goalie in senior Andy Pfaffl. Mars Hill, the third seed, has a pair of potent scorers in Walter Gay and Sergio Vazquez, and another formidable goalie in junior Josh Bruce. Fourth seed Tusculum is led by David Ormesher and freshman sensation Paul Hopkins.

The men's tournament begins Tuesday, with four matches at the home field of the top four seeds.

Lenoir-Rhyne is at Wingate at 2 p.m.; Newberry is at Presbyterian at 7 p.m.; Carson-Newman is at Mars Hill at 5 p.m.; and Catawba is at Tusculum at 5 p.m.

Winners advance to Saturday's semifinals at Tusculum College. The finals are Sunday at 4 p.m.

Volleyball

Tourney Brackets (PDF format)

Presbyterian College, which is 11-2 in the regular season with one conference match left to play, is the top seed for the volleyball tournament. Presbyterian is the South Atlantic Conference's all-time winningest school in volleyball, with 121 conference wins. The Blue Hose will be going after their fifth conference tournament title.

This year, the winner of the volleyball tournament will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Presbyterian is led by sophomore Lindsay Mitchell, who leads the conference in hitting percentage, senior Aisha Walker, who leads the conference in digs per game, and sophomore standout Debbie Tamosaitis, last year's SAC Freshman of the Year.

Carson-Newman is the second seed. The Lady Eagles are led by senior Amy Edwards, and junior Kendra Rickertsen. Wingate enters the tournament as the third seed. The Bulldogs are riding a seven-game winning streak. Junior Stephanie Poole leads the conference in assists, while sophomore Carolyn Corry is tops in service aces.

Tusculum still has two conference matches remaining. The Pioneers are in a battle with Lenoir-Rhyne. Those two schools will finish fourth or fifth depending on the outcome of Tusculum's final two conference matches.

Tusculum's Jamie Johnson leads the conference in blocks. Lenoir-Rhyne is led by senior Michelle Baity, who leads the SAC in kills per game and is second in blocks.

Saturday's first round begins at 9:30 a.m. with two matches  Mars Hill vs. Presbyterian and Tusculum vs. Lenoir-Rhyne. At 12:30 p.m., Catawba faces Wingate and Newberry plays Carson-Newman. The semifinals will be held at 4:30 The championship match is 1 p.m. on Sunday.