Tim Lynch (Harleysville, Pa. /Souderton) hopes to help IUP to the national championships this year." src="/common/controls/image_handler.aspx?thumb_id=14&image_path=/images/2014/8/26/Lynch1.jpg" />

PSAC Release | 2014 Quick Facts

LOCK HAVEN, PA – The IUP men's cross country team has been picked to finish eighth as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) coaches released their 2014 preseason poll on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Shippensburg and last year's champion, Lock Haven, each received seven first place votes and come in at one and two in the poll, respectively. Edinboro picks up a first place vote and is third while California (PA) follows in fourth, also with a singular first place vote.
 
Slippery Rock was picked fifth with East Stroudsburg and Kutztown showing up just in front of IUP in sixth and seventh place, respectively. Mansfield follows in ninth while Mercyhurst rounds out the top 10.
 
The Crimson Hawks return nine runners from last year, including senior Tim Lynch (Harleysville, Pa. /Souderton), who finished in the top five on the team in four of his six races. His best result came in 2013's season opener at Seton Hill, coming in 11th overall on the 8K course. Junior Alex Hampel (Middletown, Del/Salesianum) and sophomore Greg Beaudette (Johnston, R.I./Bishop Hendricken) also return. Hampel was a top three finisher for IUP in two of his four races last year while Beaudette finished in the top three on the team in two of his five competitions.
 
Coached by Joey Zins, the Crimson Hawks had their best regional finish in 20 years last season by coming in fourth of 19 teams at the NCAA Atlantic Regional meet in November.
 
IUP gets its 2014 season underway on Sept. 6 at Edinboro's Doug Watts Distance Gala. 

Listed below is the preseason men's cross country coaches' poll. First-place votes are in parenthesis. 

1. Shippensburg (7)
2. Lock Haven (7)
3. Edinboro (1)
4. California (1)
5. Slippery Rock
6. East Stroudsburg
7. Kutztown
8. IUP
9. Mansfield
10. Mercyhurst
11. Seton Hill
12. West Chester
13. Bloomsburg
14. Gannon
15. Pitt-Johnstown
16. Cheyney