Feb. 15, 2012

Navy, Bucknell tie for first in Patriot poll

Navy and Bucknell both accumulated 39 points to share first in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, in voting by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors and released by the conference office.

The Midshipmen received five first-place votes, while the Bison garnered four. Army picked up one first-place vote and 38 points to sit close in third. Holy Cross earned two first-place votes and 29 points for fourth, followed by Lafayette and Lehigh.

Navy is the defending Patriot League champion, taking two of three from Army in the championship series. The Mids beat Bucknell in the semifinal series, while the Black Knights eliminated Lafayette in the other semifinals.

This will be the final season for Bucknell head coach Gene Depew (pictured about), who announced this week that he will retire at the end of the 2012 campaign.

The 2012 season starts on Friday, Feb. 17, with Army at High Point and Navy at North Carolina A&T. Bucknell begins on Saturday against La Salle in Davidson, N.C. Conference play commences on March 31 with Army at Navy, Holy Cross at Bucknell and Lafayette at Lehigh. All will be four-game series. The semifinal series will be held May 12-13 on the fields of the top two seeds, while the championship series will be May 19-20 at the highest remaining seed. All of these series will be best-of-three.

2012 Patriot Preseason Coaches Poll

Team, Points (First Place) (2011 Patriot, Overall Records)

t1. Navy, 39 (5) (12-8, 33-25-1)
t1. Bucknell, 39 (4) (10-10, 25-28)
3. Army, 38 (1) (11-9, 22-26)
4. Holy Cross, 29 (2) (9-11, 24-23-1)
5. Lafayette, 17 (10-10, 18-30)
6. Lehigh, 16 (8-12, 24-21)
 

(photo courtesy of Bucknell Media Relations Office)