March 19, 2010

CENTER VALLEY, Pa.  - The Navy men's track and field squad has been picked to finish second at this year's outdoor championship, voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors.

The Midshipmen finished the indoor campaign on a high note with an eighth-place showing at the IC4A Championship, the highest of any Patriot League school and Navy's top team finish since 1998, after placing third during the league's indoor championship.

Dominic Della Pelle (So./Kennett Square, Pa.), Jeremy Haney (So./Palmyra, Va.) Andrew Hanko (Jr./ Montville, N.J.), Cody Rome (So./Eagle, Idaho) and Mark Van Orden (Sr./Morris Plains, N.J.) each finished within the top-eight in their respective events to garner All-East honors over the course of the two-day regional championship meet.

Van Orden, a four-time Patriot League champion, will be aiming for a third-straight conference title in the hammer throw this spring. Hanko, he reigning Patriot League Indoor Championship Track-Athlete of the Meet, will once again lead a strong and deep cast of Navy distance runners. Another four-time champion, Hanko returns as the reigning league outdoor 5K champion.  

Army was tabbed as the preseason favorite with 14-of-14 first-place votes and 98 points (Note: Teams cannot vote for themselves). Since joining the Patriot League in 1992, the Black Knights have won 17 of 18 outdoor team titles.

Bucknell received the other two first-place ballots to claim 80 points and a share of second place with the Mids. Lafayette followed in third with 58 points, Lehigh was fourth with 46 points and American fifth with 38 points. Colgate (26) and Holy Cross (22) rounded out the eight-team poll.

Navy commences its 2010 outdoor season with its annual trip to the Point Loma Invitational in San Diego, Calif., this Saturday. During the Academy's spring break, the Midshipmen have spent the week training on the West Coast.

2010 Patriot League Outdoor Men's Track Preseason Poll
1. Army - 98 (14)
T2. Bucknell - 80 (2)
T2. Navy - 80
3. Lafayette - 58
4. Lehigh - 46
5. American - 38
6. Colgate - 26
7. Holy Cross - 22

Point Loma Invitational
Friday - Saturday, March 19-20
Meet Program

Friday, March 19
4:00 PM - Hammer Throw

Saturday, March 20              
9:00 AM  -- High Jump, Pole Vault, Javelin
11:00 AM  -- Long Jump, followed by Triple Jump
12:00 PM  -- Shot Put
12:00 PM  -- 400m Hurdles
12:30 PM  -- 3000m Steeplechase
1:15 PM  -- 4x100m Relay
1:40 PM  -- 1500m
2:25 PM  -- 110m Hurdles
2:45 PM  -- Discus
3:10 PM  -- 400m
3:50 PM  -- 100m
4:30 PM  -- 800m
5:20 PM  -- 200m
6:05 PM  -- 5000m  
6:40 PM  -- 4x400m Relay
 
Schedule Teams: Navy, Middlebury College, Cal State San Marcos, UCSD, Whitworth, St. Norbert College, George Fox, Southwestern College, Mesa College, USD and Point Loma.
 
## Go Navy! ##