The Northeast Conference track and field coaches like Monmouth University. In the preseason coaches poll, both the men's and women's teams were picked to win the NEC winter track championship. The NEC Indoor Track and Field Championships will be held Feb. 21 and 22 in Landover, Md.

"We are honored that the coaches in the conference have voted us the preseason favorites again this winter," said Hawk head coach Joe Campagni. "The NEC will be very competitive in every event again this season, and we are looking forward to the season."

The Hawk women won the 2008 NEC indoor crown, and the men were runner-up to St. Francis, Pennsylvania.

Michelle Losey (Piscataway), last year's Most Outstanding Track Performer at the indoor NEC, is back and is the defending champion in the 400 meters. She was second in the 200 and was a member of the winning 1,600-meter relay team. Caitlin Lynam was second in both the 1,500 and 3,000 and will be looking to earn gold this time around. Also back is Crystal Stein, who was second in the 500 meters.

Among the women the Hawks will be looking to this year are distance runners Christine Altland and Laura Embrey, sprinter/jumper Brittany Gibbs and thrower Tia Testa.

The Hawk men graduated their three individual champions from 2008 and will be relying on their balance, which allows them to score points in a number of events.

Vincent Elardo has been the early-season standout for the Hawks. He's twice been named the NEC Field Athlete of the Week and was recently tabbed the ECAC Field Athlete of the Week for winning the shot put at 52-7½ inches at the Brother Jasper Invitational in Manhattan.

Former Red Bank Catholic star Peter Forgach was second in the NEC's 5K last winter, and the junior would no doubt like to turn that silver into gold next February.

Among the other athletes the Hawk men will be looking to for points are distance runner Jeff Cody, sprinter Dan Fitzpatrick, thrower Tom Ciccoli, and one of the Hawks' most promising freshmen, jumper Marcus Goode (Freehold Township), who is the Shore Conference record holder in the triple jump.

Monmouth will start 2009 off at the Delaware Invitational in Newark, Del., on Jan. 9. Other highlights include the NYU Gotham Cup (Jan. 16), the Terrier Classic in Boston, Mass., (Jan. 24), the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden (Jan. 30), the Penn State National Invitational (State College, Pa.) and the Princeton Open (Feb. 7), all leading up to the NEC Championships Feb. 21-22.