Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Picked as PL Co-Favorites in Men's Lacrosse
2/14/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Feb. 14, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's lacrosse team has won or shared the Patriot League championship in each of the last three seasons, and the league's head coaches and sports information directors think the Bison will make it four in a row in 2003. In the preseason poll, announced by the Patriot League office on Friday, Bucknell tied for first place, along with Hobart.
Both teams garnered six of the 14 first-place votes and accrued 64 total points. Army, which received the other two first-place votes and rounded out a three-way tie for first with Bucknell and Hobart last season, was picked third with 58 points.
Lehigh (36), Colgate (34), Lafayette (25) and Holy Cross (13) finished out the preseason poll.
Bucknell, ranked 24th in the Inside Lacrosse preseason poll, opens the 2003 season at North Carolina on Feb. 22. The Bison return nine starters and 21 lettermen from last year's squad that compiled a 6-7 overall record, 5-1 in the Patriot League. Bucknell is 16-2 in Patriot League play over the last three years and has shared the league title twice while winning it outright in 2001.
Among the returnees are a pair of preseason Honorable Mention All-Americans in senior goalie Justin Sussman and senior attack Dennis Geraghty. Sussman was the 2002 PL Defensive Player of the Year, while Geraghty was the league's No. 2 goal-scorer with 34. Also back is last year's league rookie of the year in Chris Cara, who broke the Bucknell freshman scoring record with 56 points in 13 games.
2003 PL PRESEASON MEN'S LACROSSE POLL Team (1st Place) 2002 Record Points 1. Bucknell (6) 6-7, 5-1 PL 64 (T) Hobart (6) 6-8, 5-1 PL 64 3. Army (2) 8-6, 5-1 PL 58 4. Lehigh 5-9, 2-4 PL 36 5. Colgate 7-7, 3-3 PL 34 6. Lafayette 4-10, 1-5 PL 25 7. Holy Cross 1-14, 0-6 PL 13
