Burnsville, MN – Two-time defending Northern Sun women's indoor rack and field champion University of Mary is the conference coaches choice to win a third straight title with nine-time All-American Melissa Agnew leading the way. The Marauders claimed ten of 13 first place votes to finish atop the 2012-13 Preseason NSIC Indoor Women's Track and Field Coaches' Poll and Agnew is the NSIC Women's Preseason Track Athlete of the Year.
 
Since joining the Northern Sun in 2006-07, the Marauders have been the dominant program, winning four titles in six years (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012). After claiming the 2011 title by just 20 points, the Marauders exploded to a 67-point victory last winter.
 
U-Mary earned 142 points in the poll and Augustana was second at 125. Winona State, Minnesota State, Sioux Falls and MSU Moorhead round out the top six. The next seven are Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State, Wayne State, Northern State, Concordia-St. Paul, Minot State and Bemidji State.
 
The 2012 NSIC Women's Track Athlete of the Year, Agnew is the two-time defending conference indoor champion in the mile. Her winning effort in the mile last year set the NSIC record. The senior middle distance runner from Onamia, Minn., is a nine-time NCAA All-American, including her efforts at both the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Indoor championships in the 1,000 meter run and the distance medley relay.
 
Agnew is a three-time cross country All-American and was cited at the outdoor national championships in the 1,500 and 800 meter runs in 2012. Additionally Agnew owns the NSIC outdoor records for the 800 and 1,500.  She already has earned NSIC All-Academic recognition seven times.
 
Additionally, Melissa Walker was named U-Mary's NSIC Field Athlete to Watch. A senior from Kingston, Jamaica, Walker is a three-time NCAA All-American, capturing the honors in the long jump in 2010 and 2011 and the triple jump in 2011. The 2011 NSIC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year after she was the high-point scorer at the conference meet, walker did not compete indoors in 2012. Walker qualified for the 2012 NCAA outdoor championships in the long jump.
 
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