EDISON, N.J. – The Fairfield University men's cross country team was picked to finish sixth in the 2014 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll released this morning.

Fairfield placed fourth overall at the 2013 MAAC Championships at Van Cortlandt Park. The Stags return five of their top-seven finishers from last year's race, including senior Connor Kelley, junior Dan DeBlock, and sophomores Sam Daly, Nolan Parsley, and Mike Flanagan.

Defending champion Iona College was unanimously selected as the preseason favorite earning 121 points. Canisius College received 104 points and was picked to repeat as the runner-up at the MAAC Championships. Rider University finished third in the men's poll with 96 points, while Monmouth University placed fourth earning 85 points. Marist College with 76 points edged out Fairfield, at 70 points, for fifth and sixth in the poll. Quinnipiac University earned 52 points for seventh, followed by Siena College with 47. Manhattan College placed ninth with 37 points, while Niagara University's 27 points landed the team in tenth. Saint Peter's University rounded out the poll with 11 points.

Fairfield, under first-year Head Coach Brendan Rickert, opens the 2014 season on August 30 when it hosts the Fr. Victor F. Leeber, S.J./Fr. W. Laurence O'Neil, S.J. Invitational on campus.