CARMEL, Ind. - The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) released its 2022-23 Indoor Track & Field pre-season rankings on Tuesday (Nov. 15) afternoon. 

The Grizzlies had eight total athletes recognized on the league's list of Athletes to Watch, with four men and four women on each list. Franklin's women were picked fourth by the league's coaches with 51 points while the men were picked sixth after earning 45 points in their poll.

On the list of Athletes to Watch for the women are seniors Lex Desenberg, Janae Johnson and Jill Anspaugh with sophomore Haley Makowski joining the trio. Desenberg, Johnson and Makowski all picked up medals at last season's indoor conference championships and Anspaugh is expected to head up the Grizzlies' long distance group in her final indoor campaign.

The four Grizzlies named to the men's watch list saw senior Nick Patton, junior Noah Sigler and sophomores John Asplund and Elliott Gough listed among the league's top athletes. Patton enters the year as the team's top hurdler while Asplund and Gough are expected to lead the way for the men's distance runners. Sigler had a breakout sophomore season in the throws, narrowly missing out on medalist honors at last year's indoor championships. 

The Grizzlies open the indoor season on Dec. 3, when they head to the ARC on the south side of Indianapolis for the UIndy Season Opener.