Oct. 8, 2002
Patriot League teams, especially in men's soccer, continue to pick up impressive victories and earn respect throughout the country during the 2002-03 season.
Lehigh knocked off 18th-ranked Duke Sunday afternoon in Durham, N.C., for the Mountain Hawks' fifth-straight victory. It was less than 48 hours after gained a 1-0 decision over Army on a rainy night in West Point.
American is getting all the attention, thanks to its #11 ranking this week in the National Collegiate Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA) poll. But four other men's soccer teams - Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lehigh - are among the top 10 teams in their respective regions.
Additionally, all five have beaten or tied Top 25-ranked teams this season, lending credibility to the recent article in Sports Illustrated about the best college athletic programs in the country. It was a somewhat subjective article, but six PL members listed among the 200 colleges is a sign that the League is making progress in one of its goals - becoming more competitive on the national level.
That success is not just limited to men's soccer.
In women's soccer, both Army and Navy are regionally ranked and have combined for a 17-1-5 overall record this year. The two teams battled to a 1-1 draw Friday at West Point.
In field hockey, Holy Cross knocked off 19th-ranked Syracuse on Sunday, 3-1, and Lafayette is among other teams receiving votes in the national coaches poll.
In volleyball, American defeated Duke earlier this year and is gearing to have the League Championship match televised live on Comcast in the Middle Atlantic region. The Eagles will likely be in the Top 10 when the first NCAA regional rankings are announced this week.
In football, Lehigh is back in the Top 10 this week after starting the season in the No. 1 position. Fordham and Colgate are among the four other teams that have earned recognition from the national voters in various weeks.
And the basketball season will open in a little over a month with the two defending PL champions - Bucknell women and Holy Cross men - competing at Penn State and Kansas, respectively, in the pre-season NIT tournaments.
This is just a sampling of recent PL successes which have earned the respect and recognition of national voters and Sports Illustrated. It's the building blocks for the future.