BENNINGTON, Vt. – Voting by the eight head men's cross country coaches from around the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) resulted in Southern Vermont College being chosen to finish fourth in the 2014 championship meet as announced by the league on Saturday.

Lesley University, a team that has captured the last five NECC titles, was picked to hoist the championship trophy once again.

Second-year head coach Kathleen Newton and her Mountaineers received one first place vote in the preseason poll and were just a few points off of being tied for third. SVC is hopeful to back up its second-place finishes from each of the last two years, if not move ahead and beat the Lynx for the crown.

"The men's cross country team is looking forward to the upcoming season," commented Newton. "With new additions to the team along with athletes returning from last year, the team looks strong and ready."

Newton is excited about her team that has new faces to go along with those harriers who made the 2013 runner-up title possible. Senior captain Victor Velazquez (Los Angeles, California) returns to the team, trying to improve upon his ninth-place finish in last year's championship race; he was first to cross for SVC, earning All-NECC Second Team honors with a time of 29:53.83.

Senior Herson Canta (Eagle Rock, California) is looking to avenge an injury-ridden performance in the 2013 Championship that saw him finish sixth for the team and 28th overall. Senior Hesbon Ogeka (Windom, Minnesota) and sophomore Corey Barcomb (Burlington, Vermont) will also be assets to Newton's team, runners who finished 11th and 12th, respectively, in last year's title race.

The Mountaineers have one more week of training before the season starts at the Castleton State Invitational next Sunday, September 7. They then host a 5000 meter race on the Southern Vermont campus, the annual Mountaineer Invitational, on September 13 before heading up to the Middlebury Invitational on September 20. SVC then visits nearby Williams College for its Purple Valley Classic on September 27 and follows that with the Keene State Invitational on October 4. The regular season wraps up on October 18 with the Western New England Golden Bear Invitational preceding the NECC Championship on November 1. The Eastern College Athletic Conference will then be held on November 8 at Stanley Park in Westfield, Massachusetts before the NCAA Regional Qualifier is held at Williams on November 15.

Regis College received two first place votes in the 2014 preseason poll to be ranked second while Mitchell College was seven points behind for third, despite also receiving two top selections. Elms College rounded out the top five. The 2014 NECC Championship will be held at Stanley Park, a meet hosted by Lesley.

2014 NECC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Lesley University - (3)

2. Regis College - (2)

3. Mitchell College - (2)

4. Southern Vermont - (1)

5. Elms College

6. Newbury College

T7 Daniel Webster College

T7 Wheelock College

(Parentheses denote first place votes)