PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL ANNOUNCED

FEBRUARY 21, 2001

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - In just its second year in the Patriot League, the Hobart College Statesmen were picked to top Army, Bucknell and Lehigh and win the League men's lacrosse championship, according to a pre-season poll of the League coaches and Sports Information Directors.

Hobart, which tied BU for the 2000 regular-season championship and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA championship by defeating the Bison in the regular-season showdown, gained nine of 14 first-place votes and finished with 69 points in the scoring system.

Army, which beat Hobart last year but finished third in the final standings, was picked as the top challenger this year, garnering the other five first place votes and 64 points. The Black Knights have won seven of the previous 10 Patriot League championships, most recently in 1998. Third place is expected to be a battle between Bucknell (49 points) and Lehigh (44 points). Colgate (32 points), Lafayette (24 points) and Holy Cross (12 points) are the darkhorses in this year's chase.

Hobart returns three from last year's All-League squad, including senior attack James Breslin and junior midfielder Jason Ouellet, who were first-team selections. Breslin, the 2000 PL Player of the Year, led the League in scoring last year with 33 goals and 14 assists for 47 points. The Statesmen also return senior midfielder Joe Leska, who was named to the 2000 second-team All-League squad.

Back in the lineup to lead Army's attack is junior Tim Pearson, a two-time first-team All-League choice who was the 1999 PL Rookie of the Year and recently named to the League's 10-player All-Decade squad. Pearson finished third in the League scoring race last year with 21 goals, 24 assists and 45 points. Senior midfielder Ryan Hanrahan, a second-team All-League choice last year, also returns for the Black Knights.

Bucknell, which won its only PL crown in 1996, was picked to edge Lehigh for third place in the final standings on the strength of its midfield, led by returning second-team All-League seniors Michael Cheng and Mark Juelis (longstick defensive middie). The Bison tied Hobart for the regular-season title and posted the best overall winning percentage in the League last year with an 8-4 record.

Lehigh will take a run at regaining the title it won in 1999 with two returning all-stars, including first-team junior defender Tim Gossner and second-team junior attack Christian Castellani. Castellani tied for fourth in the PL last year with 27 goals and finished 10th overall with 33 points.

Colgate and Lafayette also each return two All-League choices from last year.

Junior attack Parker Gibson was a first-team All-League choice while senior attack Dan Grady was a second-team selection last year for the Red Raiders. Grady was among the PL leaders with 11 goals in League play last year.

The Leopards' lineup will be fortified by the return of first-team All-League goalie Duncan Woodward, who led the Patriot League with an 8.67 goals per game average and was second in the League with a 55.7 save percentage. Senior attack Kevin Bromby was also a second-team All-League choice last season for Lafayette.

The 2001 season opens Friday, Feb. 23, when Colgate travels to perennial national powerhouse Syracuse for a 7 p.m. intra-regional showdown. Saturday, Feb. 24, Bucknell (vs. North Carolina at Calvert Hall H.S., Baltimore, Md.), Holy Cross (at Fairfield) and Lehigh (at Denver) also open the season. The first League match of the year is slated for March 3, when Bucknell and Holy Cross face-off at the University of Scranton.

*voting by coaches and sports information directors