Centennial Conference preseason poll men’s cross country 1. Haverford (8) 64 2. Dickinson (1) 54 3. MUHLENBERG 51 4. Swarthmore 38 5. Johns Hopkins 37 6. Franklin & Marshall 31 7. Gettysburg 25 8. Ursinus 13 9. McDaniel 12 women’s cross country 1. Dickinson (7) 79 2. Haverford (2) 73 3. Swarthmore (1) 58 4. MUHLENBERG 56 5. Johns Hopkins 44 6. Franklin & Marshall 42 7. Gettysburg 41 8. Bryn Mawr 21 9. Ursinus 20 10. McDaniel 16

Coming off memorable 2004 campaigns, the Muhlenberg men’s and women’s cross country teams are both picked to finish in the top four according to the Centennial Conference preseason polls.

The men’s team, with five straight top-four finishes, is ranked third with 51 points, just behind Dickinson’s 54. Defending champion Haverford picked up the top spot in the coaches’ poll, receiving a unanimous eight first-place votes and 64 total points.

The women’s team, coming off its best finish in school history, is picked to repeat in fourth as it collected 56 points. Dickinson, last year’s champion, received 79 points including seven first-place votes. Haverford and Swarthmore are second and third.

Following fourth-place finishes by both teams at the CC Championships in 2004, the women’s team placed ninth at the NCAA Mideast Regional while the men came in 10th. Each team also took first in the McDaniel Invitational earlier in the season.

The cross country teams are scheduled to open the season at the Lehigh Valley Championships on Friday, September 2. The CC Championships are at Johns Hopkins on October 29.

The Centennial Conference also released its preseason field hockey poll. Ursinus was selected to finish in first as it collected eight first-place votes. Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg are slated for second and third. Muhlenberg looks to outperform its predicted eighth-place finish.