March 20, 2008
2008 Outdoor Track and Field Webguide 
Center Valley, Pa. - The Navy Midshipmen were selected to finish first by Patriot League head coaches and sports information directors in the Men's Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Poll, it was announced Thursday. Coaches and sports information directors were not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Mids received 12 of 16 first-place votes and had a total of 95 points. Navy has never won a Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Championship, and finished third at the 2007 championship meet with 141 overall points. The Mids, however, will welcome back a strong group of seasoned veterans to attempt to build upon an indoor title earlier this year. Senior Paul Harris, who was named the Outstanding Track Athlete of the Meet in 2007, will return to the fold for Navy this spring. Joining the senior mid-distance runner will be Darryl Hunter (shot put), Dante Marshall (jumps), Ronald Belany (multis) and Lucas Burke (mid-distance).
Army finished a close second in the poll with two of the remaining first-place votes, and 82 points overall. The Black Knights have won every League title since joining the League in 1992, and will look to stretch their streak to 17 in a row at this year's meet. Senior Brandon Lewis returns as one of the favorites in the decathlon, while fellow senior Steve Zhang returns as the defending champ in the triple jump.
The Bucknell Bison just missed out on second place to come in third in the poll, as they received the final two first-place votes and 81 points overall. The Bison finished second at last year's meet, and will be one of the contenders again in '08. Kevin MacLeod (400m hurdles) and David Mante (pole vault) return as event winners and First-Team All-Patriot League honorees from a year ago.
Fourth place in the preseason poll went to the Eagles of American, who tallied 48 overall points. The Eagles will once again be led by their strong contingent of distance runners, as 2007 First-Team All-Patriot League honorees Brendan Fennell, Brian McCabe and Steve Hallinan each will look to make a mark once again in 2008.
Colgate (45 points), Lehigh (44), Lafayette (38) and Holy Cross round out the '08 poll.
All eight teams will compete at the Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Championship on May 2-3 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
2008 Patriot League Preseason Men's Outdoor Track and Field Poll
Team (First-Place Votes), Points
1. Navy (12) 95
2. Army (2) 82
3. Bucknell (2) 81
4. American 48
5. Colgate 45
6. Lehigh 44
7. Lafayette 38
8. Holy Cross 15
