Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh Tabbed Sixth in Preseason League Poll
9/7/2016 3:29:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
View full release on PatriotLeague.com
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh women's cross country team has been picked sixth in the Patriot League preseason cross country poll, the league office announced on Wednesday. The preseason poll was voted upon by the head coaches and sports information directors of each institution. Lehigh finished seventh at last year's Patriot League Championships at Colgate.
Defending champ Bucknell tops the preseason poll this year with 158 points, and receiving 14 of 18 first place votes. Navy comes in second after receiving 142 points and the final four first place votes, and Boston University ranks third in the preseason rankings. All three teams finished in that order in the top three last season. Holy Cross comes in fourth, followed by Army with 100 points in fifth, and Lehigh in sixth place with 88 points.
This year's Patriot League Championships will take place on October 29 at Lafayette.
"I'm excited to see the Patriot League preseason polls because I think they're going to make everyone else think differently of us, and we'll play the underdog role," head coach Debbie Utesch said during the preseason. "We have some pretty strong leaders in our upperclassmen that are setting a very different tone and a very talented freshman class. The whole trick is to get those people on the starting line on the same day. If we can do that, we can be a team that flies under the radar but is capable of big surprises at the end of the season."
Lehigh opened up the 2016 campaign this past Friday on the Goodman Campus Course by hosting the Lehigh Invitational. Lehigh ran mostly underclassmen in the race and finished second overall to Delaware in the five team event. The Mountain Hawks placed five runners in the top 15, led by Hannah Bonaguidi in first place, and followed by Diana Hammerstone (6th), Amanda Ruschel (10th), Ashleigh Crawford (11th) and Stephanie Hayes (15th).
Patriot League Preseason Women's Cross Country Poll
1. Bucknell, 158 points (14 first-place votes)
2. Navy, 142 (4)
3. Boston University, 126
4. Holy Cross, 106
5. Army West Point, 100
6. Lehigh, 88
7. American, 78
8. Â Loyola (Md.), 45
9. Lafayette, 37
10. Colgate, 20
Â
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh women's cross country team has been picked sixth in the Patriot League preseason cross country poll, the league office announced on Wednesday. The preseason poll was voted upon by the head coaches and sports information directors of each institution. Lehigh finished seventh at last year's Patriot League Championships at Colgate.
Defending champ Bucknell tops the preseason poll this year with 158 points, and receiving 14 of 18 first place votes. Navy comes in second after receiving 142 points and the final four first place votes, and Boston University ranks third in the preseason rankings. All three teams finished in that order in the top three last season. Holy Cross comes in fourth, followed by Army with 100 points in fifth, and Lehigh in sixth place with 88 points.
This year's Patriot League Championships will take place on October 29 at Lafayette.
"I'm excited to see the Patriot League preseason polls because I think they're going to make everyone else think differently of us, and we'll play the underdog role," head coach Debbie Utesch said during the preseason. "We have some pretty strong leaders in our upperclassmen that are setting a very different tone and a very talented freshman class. The whole trick is to get those people on the starting line on the same day. If we can do that, we can be a team that flies under the radar but is capable of big surprises at the end of the season."
Lehigh opened up the 2016 campaign this past Friday on the Goodman Campus Course by hosting the Lehigh Invitational. Lehigh ran mostly underclassmen in the race and finished second overall to Delaware in the five team event. The Mountain Hawks placed five runners in the top 15, led by Hannah Bonaguidi in first place, and followed by Diana Hammerstone (6th), Amanda Ruschel (10th), Ashleigh Crawford (11th) and Stephanie Hayes (15th).
Patriot League Preseason Women's Cross Country Poll
1. Bucknell, 158 points (14 first-place votes)
2. Navy, 142 (4)
3. Boston University, 126
4. Holy Cross, 106
5. Army West Point, 100
6. Lehigh, 88
7. American, 78
8. Â Loyola (Md.), 45
9. Lafayette, 37
10. Colgate, 20
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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