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American Women’s Cross Country Tabbed for Second in Patriot League
Eagles look to defend crown in 2003

September 4, 2003

Jen Baclawski and the AU women's cross country team are attempting to repeat as Patriot League Champions.

WASHINGTON — The American University women’s cross country squad was picked second in the 2003 Patriot League preseason poll of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. The Eagles earned a league-best five first-place votes, but were edged by Army for the top spot. The Black Knights had four first-place votes and 84 points while AU had 82 points. Bucknell was picked third with 79 points and three first-place votes and Navy was fourth with 65 points and four first-place votes.

American won the team title last year by one point over Bucknell. Returning for the Eagles is senior Jen Baclawski (Ijamsville, Md./Urbana), who is the top returning finisher in the meet. Baclawski placed third at last year’s Patriot League Championships and was named the Patriot League Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Also back for AU is sophomore Keira Carlstrom (Oakton, Va./Oakton), who was fourth at last year’s championships. She also was named All-Patriot League in indoor and outdoor track. Junior Whitney McNees (Pennington, N.J./Hopewell Valley Central) earned a spot on the all-league first team last year with a ninth place finish.

Army finished in third place in last year’s meet behind American and Bucknell. Navy makes its first appearance in the Patriot League Cross Country Championship after previously competing in the Heptagonal Championships. American opens the season September 13th at the Mount St. Invitational. The Patriot League Championships will be held November 1st at Lafayette.

American University, which fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men, is in its third year of membership in the Patriot League. Since joining the Patriot League, the University has captured league championships in men’s cross country, women’s cross country, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball, and a regular-season title in men’s basketball.

Chartered by an Act of Congress in 1893, American University features students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 160 nations worldwide.

2003 Patriot League Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll