LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Mercyhurst College men’s cross country team has been predicted to finish 13th in the annual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, released today by PSAC officials.
Shippensburg collected 10 first-place votes to take the top spot and best defending PSAC champion Lock Haven, which came in second with three first-place nods. Local rival Edinboro took third and captured the remaining two first-place votes. East Stroudsburg and Slippery Rock rounded out the top-5 in the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
After finishing in 13th place at the 2009 PSAC Cross Country Championships, the Lakers look to improve on their preseason ranking with several of their top runners returning, including sophomore
Nicholas Stolar, junior
Steven Lovewell and senior
Calvin Corso, all of whom placed in the top-100 at PSAC Championships.
Stolar finished second among Mercyhurst runners at the event and will look to lead the group with the departure of standout Tomas Bolger. Lovewell and Corso, meanwhile, both placed in the top-100 and bring veteran leadership to a team that is bringing in five new faces this season.
The Lakers will have a couple more weeks to prepare for their upcoming season as they officially open the campaign on Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Lock Haven Invitational in Lock Haven, Pa.
2010 PSAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. Shippensburg (10)
2. Lock Haven (3)
3. Edinboro (2)
4. East Stroudsburg
5. Slippery Rock
6. IUP
T7. Bloomsburg
T7. Millersville
9. California
10. Kutztown
11. Mansfield
12. West Chester
13. Mercyhurst
14. Gannon
15. Cheyney