BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Mountain Hawks will look to build off of last year’s momentum heading into the 2012-2013 season, as Patriot League preseason polls were announced on Wednesday. Lehigh was predicted to finish fourth, finishing the voting with 63 points in the poll, which was voted on by the league’s coaches and Sports information directors.
The Lehigh men finished fourth in last year’s Patriot League championships following a 7-4 record in the dual meet season. Rob Herb enters his ninth season as the head coach with four returning All-Patriot League selections in seniors Frank Cuzzola and Alex Aboud, junior Chris Hoke and sophomore Danny Bennett. Hoke finished second in the 50 freestyle at last year’s league championships, while Cuzzola qualified for the championship finals in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events.
Aboud broke his own school record in the preliminaries of the IM 400 before placing seventh last year. Bennett made the All-league second team as a freshman reaching the finals in a pair of events in the Patriot League championships.
The team has 11 sophomores returning to complement four seniors and five juniors in the program. Herb has also brought in four freshmen, who will look to compete and gain valuable experience this year.
Defending champion Navy, winners of the last nine titles, were picked to win their tenth one this year, earning 98 points and 14 first place votes. Bucknell, who finished second last year was picked for the preseason number two spot this year as well with 82 points and one first place vote. Army was picked to finish third and received the other first place vote. Lehigh was followed in order by American, Colgate, Lafayette and Holy Cross.
The Mountain Hawks will hold their annual Brown and White meet on Friday September 28 before opening their regular season against West Chester on Friday October 19 at Jacobs Pool.
Patriot League Men’s Swimming and Diving Preseason Poll
|
Team (# first place votes)
|
Points
|
|
1. Navy (14)
|
98
|
|
2. Bucknell (1)
|
82
|
|
3. Army (1)
|
77
|
|
4. LEHIGH
|
63
|
|
5. American
|
43
|
|
6. Colgate
|
39
|
|
7. Lafayette
|
32
|
|
8. Holy Cross
|
14
|
Story by C.J. McCollum ‘13