The 2006-2007 Holy Cross Crusaders took home not only the Patriot League title, but also the league Player of the Year trophy. Early returns say the rest of the conference expects a repeat of both of those.

Holy Cross was voted first place in the league preseason poll, which was revealed Thursday at Patriot League Media Day. The Crusaders were followed closely by Bucknell, who split the regular season title with Holy Cross last year before falling in the league tournament at Worcester. The Crusaders garnered 10 first-place votes, compared to 5 for the Bison. Colgate placed third, getting 1 first-place vote, with the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh taking fourth.

The bottom half of the poll rounded out with American, Army and Navy, with Lafayette picked to finish eighth.

The poll was selected by the head coaches and sports information directors from each of the eight Patriot League schools. Each coach and SID was not permitted to include his own team anywhere in his poll.

On the individual side of things, Crusader center Tim Clifford was picked to succeed his former teammate Keith Simmons as Patriot League Player of the Year. Clifford is joined in the Preseason All-Patriot League Team by four backcout players: John Griffin of Bucknell, Army’s Jarell Brown, Navy’s Greg Sprink and Lehigh’s Marquis Hall. All All-PL Team members are seniors except Hall, a sophomore point guard for the Mountain Hawks.

Just as with the preseason poll, the POY and all-league team were voted by the head coaches and SIDs of the Patriot League schools, with no voter being able to vote for a player from his own team.

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