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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(March 9, 2000)
Contact: Jamie Joss at (315) 228-7566
Hobart Men's
Lacrosse Welcomed
to Patriot League as 2000 Preseason Favorite
Bethlehem, PA -- In a vote of the
League's head coaches, Hobart College has been
selected to win the 2000 Patriot League title in
their first season as a League member. The
Statesmen earned four first-place votes for 33
total points to outdistance Army who tallied 30
points with two first-place votes. Bucknell
earned one first place nod to total 26 points for
the No. 3 position and was followed by defending
champion Lehigh who collected 25 points.
Completing the field is Colgate (16 pts.),
Lafayette (10), and Holy Cross (7).
Players to watch for Hobart are senior Jared
Bebee (Syracuse, NY), junior Jamie Breslin
(Mountain Lakes, NJ), and senior co-captain Austen
Gardiner (Timmonium, MD). Bebee led the
Statesmen in goals with 27 last season, Breslin
returns as the team's top scorer (34 pts. in
'99), while Gardiner returns after being named
Hobart's top defenseman. Hobart enjoyed victories
over Bucknell and Colgate last season while
suffering a defeat to Army. The Statesmen hold a
61-23-2 (.721) all-time record against five of
the six Patriot League teams. They will meet Holy
Cross for the first time this season.
Army, No. 2 in the poll, returns 1999
Co-Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year, Tim
Pearson (Port Jefferson Station, NY). Pearson
became the first freshman in Patriot League
history to win a Player of the Year honor as he
ranked second in the League in scoring with 22
goals and recorded a League-leading 30 assists
for 52 total points. The sophomore attackman will
be joined by teammates Steve Austin (Brewster,
NY) and Justin Charise (Norwalk, CT)
as All-Patriot League First Team returnees.
Defending champion Lehigh will be led by 1999
Defensive Player of the Year, Todd Schreiner
(Bala Cynwyd, PA). Schreiner led the League
with a .635 save percentage, which was seventh in
NCAA Division I. He also led the League in goals
against average with a 8.54 mark. Also returning
for the Mountain Hawks is All-Patriot League
First Team member Tim Gosser (Milmont Park,
PA). Morgan Battle (Princeton, NJ) of
Lafayette returns for the Leopards after earning
All-Patriot League First Team accolades last
season.
The 2000 Patriot League Champion will earn an
automatic bid to the 2000 NCAA Men's Lacrosse
Tournament.
2000 Men's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank Team
Pts. 1999 Record
1. Hobart (4)* 33 6-7
2. Army (2) 30 8-6, 4-1 PL
3. Bucknell (1) 26 7-6, 3-2 PL
4. Lehigh 25 7-6, 4-1 PL
5. Colgate 16 6-6, 3-2 PL
6. Lafayette 10 4-9, 1-4 PL
7. Holy Cross 7 1-14, 0-5 PL
(#) = First-place vote
* = Begins first season as Patriot League
member
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