MADISON, N.J. — The Susquehanna University men's cross country team has been established as the favorite to claim the second Landmark Conference men's cross country championship as selected in the Landmark's men's cross country preseason poll announced on Aug. 22. The men's cross country coaches and sports information directors at each Landmark institution that sponsors the sport were polled for the ballot.

Susquehanna, which won the inaugural Landmark men's cross country team championship in 2007, piled up 68 points in the voting to top the poll by a six-point margin. The Landmark's 2007 individual champion Paul Thistle '10 (Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon) is one of 11 runners returning for the Crusaders.

The United States Merchant Marine Academy is comfortably in the second spot in the poll, finishing with 62 points. Juniata College placed third with 55 points and is followed by The University of Scranton, which accumulated 48 points in the voting. Goucher College captured fifth place in the polling by accumulating 36 points. Moravian College holds sixth place with 27 points. The Catholic University of America holds the seventh spot in the polling with 26 points. Drew University rounds out the poll in eighth with 14 points.

For more information visit www.landmarkconference.org.