March 19, 2013

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Bucknell and Navy dominated Patriot League competition in the winter sports, and the last two Presidents' Cup champions are now tied at the top of the standings heading into the spring season.

Navy won four titles in the winter, earning the crown in men and women's swimming and diving, men's indoor track and field and women's basketball, where it shared the regular-season title with Army before winning its third straight Patriot League Tournament. Bucknell won the Patriot League regular-season and Tournament crowns in men's basketball and also claimed a title in women's indoor track and field during the winter season. The Bison were also the runners-up in men's indoor track and field and women's swimming and diving, while the Mids placed second in women's indoor track and field.

The successful winter campaigns leave Bucknell and Navy tied for the top spot in the Patriot League Presidents' Cup standings with 68 points, gaining separation from third-place Lehigh with 61.25. The rest of the standings include Colgate (57), Army (56.25), American (49), Lafayette (42.25) and Holy Cross (34).

While it sits third in the overall standings, Lehigh remains on top by a slim margin in the men's race. The Mountain Hawks have 32 points on the men's side, holding off Bucknell (31) by one point. Navy (25.75) comes in third place, followed by Army (25.25), American (24.5), Colgate (23), Lafayette (23) and Holy Cross (13.75).

Navy, which won its first women's title last year, has pulled ahead on that side with 42.25 points. Bucknell (37) takes second place in the women's standings, and is followed by Colgate (34), Army (31), Lehigh (29.25), American (24.5), Holy Cross (20.25) and Lafayette (19.25).

Navy leads all schools with five titles this season, also taking women's cross country in the fall. Colgate has titles in football, women's soccer and volleyball, while Bucknell (men's basketball and women's indoor track and field) and Lafayette (field hockey and men's soccer) have a pair of crowns. Lehigh also has a Patriot League title to its name in 2012-13 in men's cross country.

The Patriot League Presidents' Cup races will now be decided by the 11 sports remaining in the spring season: men and women's lacrosse, men and women's tennis, men and women's golf, men and women's outdoor track and field, baseball, softball and women's rowing.

Patriot League Presidents' Cup points are awarded based on a team's performance in the regular season and postseason Patriot League standings. In cross country, golf, rowing, swimming and diving and track and field, the points are awarded based on the final team standing at the Patriot League Championship. Points for football are awarded based on regular-season standings.

Navy won its first overall Patriot League Presidents' Cup in 2011-12, and also claimed the title on the women's side for the first time. Lehigh claimed the men's title for the fourth time in school history and first since 2006. Bucknell has won the overall Presidents' Cup title 17 times, including six in a row before Navy broke the streak last year. Army is the only other team in League history to win the cup, taking home four trophies (1994, 1995, 1997, 2005).

2012-13 Patriot League Presidents' Cup Standings (through Winter 2013)

Overall
1. Bucknell, 68
1. Navy, 68
3. Lehigh, 61.25
4. Colgate, 57
5. Army, 56.25
6. American, 49
7. Lafayette, 42.25
8. Holy Cross, 34

Men
1. Lehigh, 32
2. Bucknell, 31
3. Navy, 25.75
4. Army, 25.25
5. American, 24.5
6. Colgate, 23
6. Lafayette, 23
8. Holy Cross, 13.75

Women
1. Navy, 42.25
2. Bucknell, 37
3. Colgate, 34
4. Army, 31
5. Lehigh, 29.25
6. American, 24.5
7. Holy Cross, 20.25
8. Lafayette, 19.25