Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women Place Second, Men Third in Patriot League Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Poll
3/23/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
March 23, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Despite sweeping the 2010 Patriot League Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Bucknell slipped in the latest preseason poll as the women were voted second and the men were third, the league announced on Wednesday. The poll comes just days before the Bison hit the track for their outdoor season opener, splitting the squads between the Susquehanna and Towson invitationals on Saturday.
The women's team, which claimed 89 points and five first-place votes in the 2011 poll, won the league title last spring for the 11th time in program history. The Bison were 71 points ahead of second-place Navy, which was selected first in the preseason poll with 95 points and 11 first-place votes.
Ten All-Patriot League performers return in 2011, including Stephanie Fulmer (Pottstown, Pa./St. Pius X), Casey Krause (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest), Rebecca Misko (Morristown, N.J./Madison), Sarah Moniz (Topsfield, Mass./Maconomet Regional), Caroline Tolli (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport), Sarah Bella (Mendham, N.J./West Morris Mendham), Kristin Bretscher (Farmingville, N.Y./Centereach), Sasha Hornock (Dover, Pa./Dover), Christina Muccio (Andover, Mass./Andover) and Laura Rycek (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area).
Rounding out the top half of the poll were Army (68 points) and Lehigh (66) in third and fourth, respectively. Colgate (46), Holy Cross (36), Lafayette (32) and American (16) completed the vote.
The Bucknell men came in third in the league's preseason poll with 81 points and three first-place votes. Last spring, they were crowned Patriot League Champions for the first time since 1991, edging out Army by three points at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. All-league performers from that squad who are back for another turn include Robert Arent (New Providence, N.J./New Providence), Andrew Powell (Charlton, Mass./St. John's), Jordan Donaldson (Saxton, Pa./Tussey Mountain), Ted Heitzman (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia), Dan Mularz (Manalapan, N.J./Freehold Township) and John Picardo (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton Central).
Ahead of the Bison in the 2011 preseason poll is Army, which was first with 91 points and 8 first-place votes. Navy was second with 86 points and five first-place votes. Making up the rest of the poll were Lehigh (57), Lafayette (50), American (40), Colgate (28) and Holy Cross (15).
The preseason poll is determined by a vote of the school's head coaches and sports information directors who cannot vote for their own team.
Bucknell will get its first chance outdoors this Saturday. The Bison will compete at the Towson Invitational in Towson, Md., as well as the Susquehanna Invitational in Selinsgrove, Pa. Bucknell's first home meet is scheduled for April 15-16 when it hosts the Bison Outdoor Classic.
Men's Outdoor Track & Field Patriot League Preseason Poll
Team - Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Army - 91 (8)
2. Navy - 86 (5)
3. Bucknell - 81 (3)
4. Lehigh - 57
5. Lafayette - 50
6. American - 40
7. Colgate - 28
8. Holy Cross - 15
Women's Outdoor Track & Field Patriot League Preseason Poll
Team - Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Navy - 95 (11)
2. Bucknell - 89 (5)
3. Army - 68
4. Lehigh - 66
5. Colgate - 46
6. Holy Cross - 36
7. Lafayette - 32
8. American - 16
