9/2/2004 - Women's Cross Country
Navy Women’s Cross Country Tabbed For Third In Preseason Poll

Senior Kristyn Kern will serve as captain for the 2004 women's cross country team.

Navy Women's Cross Country Tabbed For Third In Preseason Poll

Center Valley, Pa. - The Navy women's cross country team was picked to place third in the Patriot League this season, according to the preseason poll of the league's coaches and sports information contacts.

The Midshipmen received 70 points to edge Bucknell by one point for third place. The Bison, who did receive one first-place vote, totaled 69 points to place fourth.

The Midshipmen return three sophomores for the 2004 season who earned All-Patriot League honors as freshmen in 2003. Emily Castro (Centennial, Colo.) and Allison Barlow (Orange Park, Fla.) were named to the conference's first-team after placing fifth and 10th, respectively, at last year's league championship, while Erin Demchko (Nanuet, N.Y.) earned second-team honors with her 13th-place finish. Navy, as a team, finished third at the 2003 Patriot League Championship.

Two-time defending league champion American was tabbed as the preseason favorite after garnering 91 points and 11 first-place votes. Army followed in second after receiving 84 points and four first-place votes.

Rounding out the remainder of the poll was Lehigh in fifth (48 points), Lafayette in sixth (37 points), Colgate in seventh (29 points) and Holy Cross (20 points). The projected order of finish mirrored the final team standings from the 2003 championship.

Coaches and SID's were not allowed to vote for their own schools.

Navy begins its 2004 season on Saturday at the Mount St. Mary's Invitational in Emmitsburg, Md., with the race set to begin at 11 a.m.

2004 Patriot League Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Team Points (First) 2003 Championship Finish
1. American 91 (11) First
2. Army 84 (4) Second
3. Navy 70 Third
4. Bucknell 69 (1) Fourth
5. Lehigh 48 Fifth
6. Lafayette 37 Sixth
7. Colgate 29 Seventh
8. Holy Cross 20 Eighth