2005 MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
 

FROSTBURG STATE PICKED
TO EARN EIGHTH AMCC MEN'S
CROSS COUNTRY TITLE
 

Defending champion Frostburg State University is once again the favorite to win the AMCC men's cross country title in 2005.  If successful, it will be their eighth in nine tries.  On their heels will be Penn State Behrend, predicted to finish second, and Penn State Altoona, who finished third at last year's conference meet.

The Bobcats will be led in their bid to repeat by Preseason Runner of the Year Curt Ruble (Parkersburg South HS/Mineral Wells, WV).  The sophomore was the 2004 AMCC Runner of the Year, finishing first in the conference championship meet.  A four-time AMCC runner of the week, he was the conference Runner of the Year last season.

The 2005 AMCC championship meet will be hosted by Pitt-Greensburg at the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 29.  
                            

AMCC
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY POLL
Preseason Rankings:
1. Frostburg State
2. Penn State Behrend
3. Penn State Altoona

Preseason Runner of the Year:
Curt Ruble, Frostburg State University

                                    Other runners to watch:

FROSTBURG STATE - Head Coach Randy Lowe
SO Curt Ruble (Parkersburg South HS/Mineral Wells, WV)...AMCC Runner of the Year in 2004...top finisher at the conference championship meet...place winner at the Lebanon Valley College Invitational (15th), Dickinson Long-Short Course (8th - long course) and Gettysburg Invitational (6th).

HILBERT - Head Coach TBA
No information available.

LA ROCHE - Head Coach George Guiley
No information available.

LAKE ERIE - Head Coach Jeremy Verdi
No information available.

MT. ALOYSIUS - Head Coach Marilyn Bearer
No information available

PENN STATE ALTOONA - Head Coach Douglas Hoover

JR Richard Merritts (Altoona HS/Altoona, PA)...Came in 20th at the AMCC
championship last season...finished 169th at the NCAA Mideast Regional Meet.

SR Steven Werner (Elk County Catholic HS/St. Mary's, PA)...In 2003,
finished 24th at the AMCC Championship...came in 167th at the NCAA Mideast
Regional.

PENN STATE BEHREND - Head Coach Dave Cooper
JR Brad Ruffo (West Middlesex HS/West Middlesex, PA)...Runner-up at the AMCC championship in 2004, less than 4 secs. behind the winner, to earn all-conference honors.

PITT-BRADFORD - Head Coach Travis Faulkner
JR Jon Campbell (Warren County Christian HS/Russell, PA)...Best finisher for the Bobcats at the 2004 championship meet, coming in 41st.

PITT-GREENSBURG - Head Coach Joyce Brobeck

SO Zach Kocian (Hempfield HS/Greensburg, PA)...Top finisher for the
Bobcats at last year's championship meet, clocking in at 8th place to earn all-
conference honors.

SR Patrick Comer (Hempfield HS/Manor, PA)...Finished 21st at the AMCC
championship meet last season.