BOSTON— Boston University, which won its first America East Women's Soccer Championship last season, has been chosen to repeat as conference champion this year in balloting by the coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their teams. The Terriers received eight of a possible 11 first-place votes and 118 total votes. University of Hartford, which won the America East Championship from 1997-99, was second with four first-place votes and 114 total points.
Hofstra University, which has finished third in each of the past two seasons, was picked at that position again with 97 points. University of Delaware was fourth with 87 points. Towson University, which qualified for the America East Championship last season for the first time since 1997, was picked fifth with 80 points. Northeastern University, which saw its win total increase from six in 1999 to 11 a year ago, was selected sixth with 62 points. Just a point separated seventh pick University of Maine (58) from University of New Hampshire (57). University of Vermont (44), Stony Brook University (41), Drexel University (23) and University at Albany (11) rounded out the poll.
The top six teams in the conference will advance to the America East Championship with the winner of the tournament receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA College Cup.
Boston University was 9-0-0 in America East last season and 16-7-0 overall. The Terriers earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship and defeated Holy Cross in the first round before dropping a second-round decision at Dartmouth. America East Coach of the Year Nancy Feldman returns five all-conference choices in midfielders Allison Merkle and Teresa Petruccelli, backs Megan Cross and Lesley Garvey and forward Nicole Soules. Goalkeeper Danielle Demers was 12-4-0 with a 0.91 goals against average and nine shutouts. The Terriers must replace two-time America East Player of the Year Deidre Enos, who graduated as the school's career scoring leader with 51 goals and 121 points. Enos now plays for the Philadelphia Charge of the WUSA.
Hartford (8-1-0, 17-4-0) rookie head coach Eva Bergsten, a three-year assistant to Mark Krikorian before Krikorian resigned to became the head coach of the Philadelphia Charge following the 2000 season, builds around first-team all-conference choices Susie Woodson (14 goals, 3 assists), the leading returning scorer in America East, Katharina Lindner (4 goals, 12 assists), Cindy Walsh and Tini Lyng. In addition, second-team choices Jeanette Akerlund (6 goals, 8 assists), Sandra Kayulu and Anne-Lise Nilssen (14-4-0, 0.93, 9 shutouts) return to a team that made its fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Championship last year.
Hofstra (7-2-0, 12-5-2) welcomes the return of backs Dolores Deasley and Erin Magee but must replace graduated scorers Christa Eidenweil (13 goals) and Penny Stansfield (7 goals, 6 assists) and consistent midfielder Tracey Naughton.
Delaware (4-5-0, 11-7-1) looks to return to the America East Championship after a one-year absence. The Blue Hens return nine starters including the conference leader in goals against average in junior Rachel Bersin (8-4-1, 0.86, 7 shutouts) and forwards Brittany Campbell (10 goals, 5 assists) and Fran Termini (7 goals, 2 assists).
Towson was 5-3-1 in America East and 10-8-1 overall thanks in large part to a talented rookie class led by Holly Noga (7 goals, 2 assists) and Martha Bielefeld. Senior Maggie Lennon (5 goals, 5 assists) also returns for the Tigers, who graduated first-team all-conference goalkeeper Tina Steck (10-8-1, 1.07).
The good news for Northeastern (5-4-0, 11-7-1) is that goalkeeper Shellie Parkinson (10-6-1, 1.04) and backs Amy Devendorf and Emily Haar return. However, leading scorers Kate Mercier (6 goals, 3 assists) and Jen Herlihy (5 goals, 5 assists) graduated and Tanya Mello, who had nine goals and two assists in 11 games last season as a rookie before suffering a season-ending stress fracture, was lost for the 2001 season after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in an off-season conditioning drill.
New Hampshire (2-6-1, 5-12-1) and Vermont (2-7-0, 4-14-0) both look for their first America East Championship appearance since 1998 while Maine (1-7-0, 5-10-0), Drexel (0-8-0, 4-12-0) and conference newcomers Albany (3-15) and Stony Brook (8-10-1) are all hoping to reach the tournament for the first time.
2001 Preseason Poll
1. Boston U. (8 first-place votes), 118 total votes
2. Hartford (4), 114
3. Hofstra, 97
4. Delaware, 87
5. Towson, 80
6. Northeastern, 62
7. Maine, 58
8. New Hampshire, 57
9. Vermont, 44
10. Stony Brook, 41
11. Drexel, 23
12. Albany, 11