LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's cross country program was voted atop the 2010 PSAC Preseason Coaches Poll released Wednesday morning by the conference office. SU earned 10 of the 15 first-place votes while Lock Haven, Edinboro, East Stroudsburg and Slippery Rock round out the Top 5.

On Tuesday, Shippensburg was voted atop the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Preseason Coaches Poll, slotting ahead of Edinboro, Lock Haven, Millersville and Slippery Rock.

Shippensburg, under the guidance of 13th-year head coach Steve Spence, won its first-ever Atlantic Regional Championship in 2009 and returns six of its seven runners from that meet, including four of the all-region scorers. The Raider harriers have never won a PSAC championship despite a multitude of close finishes in history and will be among the squads vying for the title in 2010.

The roster is laden with veterans, including several impact runners entering their final seasons on the squad.

Despite battling intermittent injury, senior Bryan Beegle earned All-Atlantic Region honors for the second consecutive season and was once again a top runner and dynamic competitor for the Red Raiders. He finished third overall at the regional meet with a 10K PR of 31:26 and was the team's No. 2 runner at the national championships. Beegle also won the outdoor 5K and finished second in the steeplechase at the PSAC Championships.

Junior Stephen Schelander was SU's No. 1 runner at the national championships and was the No. 3 runner at PSAC and regionals. The all-region competitor was also the team's No. 1 runner at the Paul Short Invitational with an 8K PR of 24:51. During track, Schelander was an All-PSAC competitor in the outdoor 5K and finished fourth in the outdoor 1,500 meters.

Senior Ethan Rissell finishes sixth at the '09 regional meet as SU's No. 2 runner and is another returning All-Atlantic region runner. He set PRs in the 8K and 10K during his last cross country campaign and was also a PSAC placewinner in the indoor 5K and the outdoor 10K during the track season.

Returning for his final season of athletic eligibility is Josh Neyhart, the team's No. 4 runner at the national championships last season and the No. 6 runner at the PSAC championships. Neyhart is a veteran mid-distance and distance competitor who qualified for the outdoor national championships last season in the 1,500 meters after winning an outdoor PSAC title.

Another senior expecting to make a strong impact is Sean Stetler. During the cross country season, Stetler was the No. 2 runner at the Paul Short Invitational and finished 16th at the regional meet. It was during the track season that Stetler made his breakthrough – winning the indoor 3K title and dominating the outdoor 10K with an impressive PR of 30:40.

Not to be lost in the shuffle is sophomore Matt Gillette, who as a rookie was one of just two All-PSAC runners for Shippensburg last season after finishing ninth at the conference championships. Gillette earned All-Atlantic Region honors and was the team's No. 3 runner at the national championships, solidifying a dynamic debut season for the Raider harriers.

Numerous other competitors with significant experience will be looking to make an impact, including seniors Jake Sitler [4th in PSAC steeplechase] and Matt Gelety along with juniors Brandon Boyer [6th in PSAC 10K], Pio Mandato [All-PSAC in 4x800], Kris Kroeger and Eric Evans.

The “Galen E. Piper Alumni / Open Cross Country Challenge” kicks off the 2010 campaign on Saturday, September 4 from the Shippensburg University campus. The meet is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.

PSAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)

1. Shippensburg (10)
2. Lock Haven (3)
3. Edinboro (2)
4. East Stroudsburg
5. Slippery Rock
6. IUP
T7. Bloomsburg
T7. Millersville
9. California
10. Kutztown
11. Mansfield
12. West Chester
13. Mercyhurst
14. Gannon
15. Cheyney