April 3, 2009

Center Valley, Pa.--Bucknell claimed seven first-place votes and 31 overall points to finish first in the 2009 Patriot League Rowing Preseason Poll. Navy garnered the other three first-place votes and earned 27 points to finish second in the poll. Colgate (17 points), Holy Cross (16) and Lehigh (9) round out the poll. The poll is voted on by head coaches and sports information directors, who can not vote for their own team.

Bucknell stands as a three-time defending Patriot League champion and brings back two-time All-Patriot League coxswain selection Jeweliet Yost. Fellow senior, Caitlin Doolin, a 2008 College Rowing Coaches Association All-Mid-Atlantic Second-Team Selection, also returns for the Bison. Bucknell's varsity eight won last season's Patriot League Boat of the Year honors.

Navy is the only other Patriot League team to been crowned champion, winning the inaugural title in 2005. The Mids tied Bucknell with 27 points in last season's championship, but Bucknell's title in the varsity eight gave the Bison the title. In its attempt to knock off Bucknell, Navy will count on senior Kerry Hannon, the Mids' lone returning All-Patriot League selection. Navy head coach Mike Hughes was named 2008 Patriot League Coach of the Year.

Junior Vicky Hulit returns to lead Colgate. Huilt has been an All-Patriot League selection in both of her seasons in Hamilton. Senior Malgozata Smas is back to lead Holy Cross after finishing 2008 as an All-Patriot League honoree. Lehigh welcomes back Jen Lance, who was named to the All-Patriot League team as a freshman last season.

The 2009 Patriot League Rowing Championship will take place Sunday, April 26 on the Cooper River in Camden County, N.J. The Patriot League Championship is a full-field event. The championship consists of three races: Varsity Four, Second Varsity Eight and Varsity Eight.

2009 Patriot League Preseason Rowing Poll (First-place votes in parentheses)

1. Bucknell, 31 points (7)

2. Navy, 27 (3)

3. Colgate, 17

4. Holy Cross, 16

5. Lehigh, 9