Aug. 27, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - The favorite in the Patriot League is now also among the elite teams in the Football Championship Subdivision, as Holy Cross was ranked in The Sports Network FCS preseason top 25 poll on Wednesday.

The Crusaders garnered 382 points to tie Grambling State for the No. 25 spot in the poll, which is voted on by sports information directors and media throughout the country. Holy Cross was picked to win the Patriot League by coaches and sports information directors in the League, and returns 15 starters with two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and Walter Payton Award candidate Dominic Randolph leading the way at quarterback.

Holy Cross is the first Patriot League team ranked in The Sports Network preseason top 25 since Lehigh came in at No. 14 in 2005. The Crusaders are ranked in The Sports Network poll for the first time since Sept. 16, 2002, when they stood 23rd in the nation after starting the season 2-0 with victories over Army and Georgetown.

Defending Patriot League champion Colgate finished just outside of the poll, as the Raiders picked up 319 points to rank among the top 30 teams in the nation. Lafayette (17), Lehigh (16) and Fordham (10) also showed up in the others receiving votes list.

Holy Cross, Colgate and Lehigh also received votes in the preseason FCS Coaches Top 25 released earlier in the week. Georgetown's Kevin Kelly and Lehigh's Andy Coen represent the Patriot League as voters in the poll, which includes 28 head coaches from around the country. The Sports Network and FCS Coaches top 25 polls are the two major national polls and both used in the discussion by the NCAA selection committee.

Appalachian State was ranked as the No. 1 team in the country in the preseason for the fourth year in a row by The Sports Network, and was followed by defending national champion Richmond, Montana, Northern Iowa and Villanova in the top five. A record 160 voters participated in the preseason poll.

The Patriot League football season begins on Sept. 5, when six of the League's seven teams are in action. The League schedule also opens that day as Georgetown visits Holy Cross.

For the complete Sports Network preseason top 25, click here