CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Lehigh is the leader of the pack, and it's up to top challengers like Holy Cross, Towson, Colgate and Bucknell to catch the Mountain Hawks, according to the Patriot League football coaches and sports information directors in their annual pre-season prognostications.

The Mountain Hawks, under first-year coach Pete Lembo, were the choice of 11 of 16 voters to finish first in the 2001 campaign. Lembo, entering his fourth season at LU, replaces three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year Kevin Higgins, who left Lehigh after nine seasons to become the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions.

Lembo inherits a program that won outright or shared the championship and advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA tournament the last three seasons. The Mountain Hawks, seventh in the 2001 pre-season rankings by College Football Preview magazine, gained 88 points in the pre-season voting to rank as the team to beat in 2001.

Lining up to take their shots at upending the Mountain Hawks are Holy Cross, Towson, Colgate and Bucknell.  Holy Cross and Towson tied for second in the voting with 73 points while Colgate was fourth with 72 points and Bucknell finished fifth with 64 points.

The Crusaders, under 2000 New England Coach of the Year Dan Allen, picked up three first-place votes while Towson and Colgate were each the top choice of one voter. HC was ranked 25th in The Sports Network pre-season poll.

Fordham (37 points) edged Lafayette (27) and Georgetown (14) for sixth place in the pre-season balloting. Georgetown is a newcomer to the PL this season. The Hoyas played an independent schedule in 2000 after several years as members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League.

The season opens August 30 when Colgate travels to Villanova for a non-league game.

2001 Football Preseason Poll 

Institution                  Pts.                 2000 Overall

1. Lehigh (11)             88                        12 - 1

2. Holy Cross (3)        73                        7 - 4

    Towson (1)             73                        7 - 4

4. Colgate (1)             72                        7 - 4

5. Bucknell                  64                        6 - 5

6. Fordham                 37                        3 - 8

7. Lafayette                27                        2 - 9

8. Georgetown            14                        5 - 6

 (#)-first-place votes