LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (Aug. 25) – The California University of Pennsylvania men's and women's cross country teams were picked to finish ninth and 11th, respectively, in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), announced by the league office on Wednesday.
On the men's side, Shippensburg was the preseason favorite after receiving 10 of 15 first-place votes. Defending-PSAC Champion Lock Haven, who returns individual champion Nick Hilton, garnered three first-place votes to finish second, while Edinboro earned the final two first-place votes to rank third in the preseason poll. East Stroudsburg and Slippery Rock round out the top five.
In the women's poll, two-time defending-conference champion Shippensburg was the preseason favorite after sweeping all 16 first-place votes. The Red Raiders will be led by junior Neely Spence, who won the PSAC individual crown in both 2008 and 2009. Slippery Rock was picked to finish second, while Kutztown, Lock Haven and last year's runner-up Bloomsburg were selected to round out the top five in the team standings.
Last year, the Vulcan men's team finished in eighth place at the PSAC Championships for the second-straight season despite the loss of the program's fourth All-American. In the women's race, Cal U finished 13th overall behind the program's first All-PSAC runner in 25 years.
Under fourth-year head coach
Daniel Caulfield, the Vulcans open the new campaign on Sept. 4 when they host the 39th-annual Cal U Invitational. Cal U will also host the PSAC Championships this season for the first time since 1992.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PSAC PRESEASON POLL
| Rank |
Team (First-Place Votes) |
2009 PSAC Finish |
| 1. |
Shippensburg (10) |
3rd |
| 2. |
Lock Haven (3) |
1st |
| 3. |
Edinboro (2) |
2nd |
| 4. |
East Stroudsburg |
4th |
| 5. |
Slippery Rock |
7th |
| 6. |
Indiana (Pa.) |
6th |
| 7t. |
Bloomsburg |
5th |
| 7t. |
Millersville |
11th |
| 9. |
California (Pa.) |
8th |
| 10. |
Kutztown |
9th |
| 11. |
Mansfield |
10th |
| 12. |
West Chester |
12th |
| 13. |
Mercyhurst |
13th |
| 14. |
Gannon |
14th |
| 15. |
Cheyney |
15th |
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PSAC PRESEASON POLL
| Rank |
Team (First Place Votes) |
2009 PSAC Finish |
| 1. |
Shippensburg (16) |
1st |
| 2. |
Slippery Rock |
3rd |
| 3. |
Kutztown |
5th |
| 4. |
Lock Haven |
4th |
| 5. |
Millersville |
6th |
| 6. |
Bloomsburg |
2nd |
| 7. |
Edinboro |
8th |
| 8. |
Mansfield |
9th |
| 9t. |
Clarion |
7th |
| 9t. |
Indiana (Pa.) |
11th |
| 11. |
California (Pa.) |
13th |
| 12. |
East Stroudsburg |
12th |
| 13. |
West Chester |
10th |
| 14. |
Mercyhurst |
14th |
| 15. |
Gannon |
15th |
| 16. |
Cheyney |
16th |
