March 21, 2008

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - The Navy men's track & field team has been tabbed as the team to beat at this year's Patriot League Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Annapolis this spring, it was announced in the league's preseason poll on Thursday. The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information contacts.

Navy, which won its third Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Championship within five years in convincing fashion last month, claimed 12 of the 16 first-place ballots cast to lead the way with 95 points. Army, the 16-time defending outdoor league champion, grabbed two first-place votes and 82 points to edge third-place Bucknell's 81 points and two first-place ballots.

American was picked fourth with 48 points, followed by Colgate's 45 points, Lehigh's 44 points, Lafayette's 38 points and Holy Cross's 15 points.

Navy finished in a close third at last year's league outdoor championship after placing second over each of the three-previous years. The Midshipmen joined the Patriot League in 2004.

The Midshipmen already started their outdoor season last weekend when they topped the field of three teams at the Point Loma (Calif.) Invitational. The Mids spent the week out on the West Coast training and transitioning from the indoor season to the outdoor slate.

This weekend, Navy will host Patriot League foes American and Lehigh, as well as local schools George Mason and Maryland in a five-team meet at Ingram Field in Annapolis tomorrow at 11 a.m. The Midshipmen will remain home one week later, when they host Colgate and Princeton in a tri-meet on Saturday, March 29, at 11 a.m.

2008 Patriot League Men's Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Poll Pl.  School Points (1st) Last Yr. (Pts.) 1.   Navy 95 (12) 3rd (141) 2.   Army 82 (2) 1st (162) 3.   Bucknell 81 (2) 2nd (144) 4.   American 48 5th (74) 5.   Colgate 45 7th (19) 6.   Lehigh 44 4th (79) 7.   Lafayette 38 6th (50) 8.   Holy Cross 15 8th (13)

Schedule of Events Time  Event 11:00 a.m. Hammer Throw (Hospital Point) 12:00 p.m. Pole Vault Long Jump Shot Put (follows Hammer Throw) Triple Jump (follows Long Jump) Discus Throw (follows Shot Put) 12:15 p.m. Javelin Throw (follows Hammer Throw) High Jump 12:30 p.m. 3,000-meter Steeplechase 12:45 p.m. 4x100-meter Relay 12:55 p.m. 1,500-meter Run 1:05 p.m. 110-meter Hurdles 1:15 p.m. 400-meter Dash 1:25 p.m. 100-meter Dash 1:35 p.m. 800-meter Run 1:45 p.m. 400-meter Hurdles 1:55 p.m. 200-meter Dash 2:05 p.m. 5,000-meter Run 2:25 p.m. 4x400-meter Relay Scoring: Individual Events: 10-8-6-4-2-1 Relay Events: 10-8-6-4-2 Four individual entries per team per event All individuals can score Only one relay per school shall score