Yeah, I have no clue how anyone could think IUP will be top 5 in the conference...behind Shelly, they have nobody. Unless they're pulling in some five star recruits, look for them to pull up dead last in the conference again.
As for the women, Ship will be sick. No doubt about that. The already have a solid core in place and with the addition of Neely Spence, that pushes them to the elite level. Look for them to be top 10 in the nation, with Spence leading the team with an All-American race.
Mens
1. Edinboro-losing Niemira is a big loss, but they have the depth to cover for it. Their young guns(Hahn, McLaughlin) will lead the team to a PSAC Championship and possibly a regional title.
2. Slippery Rock- Weiss and Reagan are a hell of a 1-2 punch, and with a nice core of young guys behind them, along with the skill of Coach Papa, look for them to be a force once again, even though they will be depleted with the loss of Geddis and Bluman.
3. Shippensburg- A young team with a bright future who will be returning their top 7 from last year, plus getting Neyhart back from injury. They'll be strong and tough to beat, especially in future years.
Women's.
1. Shippensburg. Enough said.(refer to first paragraph)
2. Bloomsburg- A strong team returning 6 of their top 7 from last year. While Hackenburg may be gone, their team is good enough and packed close enough together to keep them near the top.
3. IUP- A team who finished 4th at Regionals last year and is retuning 6 of the top 7. Although they're losing Hoffman, the void is somewhat filled by the depth of the team.