Men's Cross Country Earns Fifth Position in Landmark Poll
Susquehanna ranked number one

8/23/2007

MADISON, N.J. - The Susquehanna University men's cross country team has been picked as the favorite in the first season of competition in the Landmark Conference as selected in the Landmark Preseason Men's Cross Country Poll.

Susquehanna topped the poll with 64 points in the tightest voting of any of the six Landmark preseason fall polls, which was conducted by polling the head coaches and sports information directors at each institution. The Crusaders were just one point ahead of second-place United States Merchant Marine Academy, and only three points clear of Juniata College which sits in the third spot. It was also tight at the fourth position as The University of Scranton claimed 42 points for fourth, followed by The Catholic University of America with 41 points. Moravian College earned 29 points for a sixth-place spot in the poll, with Goucher College and Drew University rounding out the final two spots.

Susquehanna brings back the majority of the roster from a team that ran to a 12^th-place finish at the NCAA Regionals in 2006 and a seventh-place performance in its conference championship. Five of the team's seven top finishers from that meet return, including a top-50 finisher.

Merchant Marine looks to continue its run of conference championships after winning three consecutive titles in its previous conference. The Mariners also placed 20^th at the NCAA Regional after claiming the conference crown, and graduated just one competitor from last year's team.

Like the two teams ahead of them in the poll, Juniata returns most of its core contributors after placing third in its conference last year. The Eagles graduated just one of its top seven runners from a year ago and have two runners back who placed in the top 85 as the team was 17^th at the NCAA Regional.

Scranton does have some holes to fill after losing three of the runners who claimed points for the team when it placed 22^nd at the NCAA Regionals. The squad does bring back a pair who each finished in the top 126 at the meet and helped the Royals place eight in its conference last season.

CUA is another team with the majority of its roster in tact heading into 2007. The Cardinals were 17^th at the NCAA South Regional a year ago, and have all but one runner returning who scored points in that meet.

Moravian collected 29 points in the poll after placing ninth in its conference championship and 23^rd at the NCAA Regional. The Greyhounds top returnee was 67^th at the regional meet, and he is one of four runners back from the team's top seven performers.

Goucher will try and make a mark in the conference championship on its home course after pulling in 19 points in the poll. The Gophers were 29^th at the NCAA Regionals last year and had freshmen rank as their top two finishers at the meet.

Drew rounds out the poll with 17 points as the Rangers enter 2007 with an experienced squad. The team placed 13^th at its conference championship a year ago, but each of its top finishers were underclassmen and return to the team this season.

The Landmark Conference was formed in 2005 and begins competition this fall. The Landmark Conference Cross Country Championships will be held October 27 at Goucher.