American East Conference

Northeastern University, which advanced to the America East Championship game last season, was picked third with 62 points. A total of four points separated University of New Hampshire (41 points), Stony Brook University (39), University at Albany (38) and University of Vermont (37). America East newcomer Binghamton University (21 points) and University of Maine (16) rounded out the poll.

The top four 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 is looking for its first America East Championship since 1997, when the Terriers completed their run of five-straight conference titles. Head coach Neil Roberts returns nine starters from a team that was 9-1-1 in America East last season and 13-5-1 overall. Junior Andrew Dorman, a first-team all-conference choice, had seven goals and 13 assists in 2001. He returns in the midfield with Tony D'Angelo and Federico Bianchi. Sophomore back Erik Evjen was a second-team all-conference choice a season ago. In goal, the Terriers can look to junior Matt Smith, a starter who has missed 22 games over the last two seasons due to injury, or sophomore Zak Thompson, who stepped in for Smith last season and earned second-team all-conference honors after posting a 9-2-1 record with a conference-best 1.08 goals against average.

Hartford (8-2-1 America East, 12-6-2 overall in 2001) should have no problem scoring goals as sophomores Alon Lubezky and Easton Wilson, and seniors Asaf Lubezky and Guy Primor, all return for head coach Jim Evans. Alon Lubezky, the 2001 America East Rookie of the Year, is the nation's top returning scorer after having led the conference with 21 goals and eight assists for 50 points last year. Wilson, an America East all-rookie choice, scored 10 goals and added three assists in 2001. Asaf Lubezky, a three-time first-team all-conference choice and the America East Rookie of the Year in 1999, scored eight goals and had six assists last year. Primor led the Hawks with nine assists last season. Three senior backs have graduated, as has goalkeeper Chris Doyle, who started 80 of a possible 81 games in his four-year career, leaving several vacancies on the defense. Doyle was a first-team all-conference choice in 2001 after posting a 12-6-2 mark with a 1.29 goals against average.

Northeastern (7-4-0, 13-8-0) graduated eight of 11 starters from last season's team, including all-conference choices Anders Hoeyem, Petter Starnas and Trond Olsen, as well as goalkeeper Allan Lewis (13-8-0, 1.45). Head coach Ed Matz will rely on a young team led by midfielder Antha Kirkopoulos, who earned all-rookie honors last season, and back Oumar Thiam, who was an all-rookie choice in 2000.

Last season New Hampshire (5-4-2, 7-8-3) made its first appearance in an America East Championship since 1994. Head coach Rob Thompson returns eight of 11 starters including leading scorers Josh Hareld, who scored eight goals and added seven assists, and versatile back Brendan Hankard, who had five goals and two assists in 2001.

Stony Brook (3-7-1, 6-9-2) has added 17 newcomers for its second season in America East. Head coach Scott Dean's defense will be anchored by junior goalkeeper Dan Ferrin, who was 6-5-2 with a 1.70 goals against average in 2001 despite battling injuries all season. Ferrin posted a 12-4-2 mark with a 0.81 goals against average and 10 shutouts as a rookie in 2000.

Albany (5-6-0, 8-9-0) narrowly missed qualifying for the America East Championship in its first season in the conference. Head coach Johan Aarnio welcomes the return of senior back Sadeky Jackson, who earned second-team all-conference honors last year. Seniors Greg Chevalier and Ashtian Holmes, who tied for the team scoring lead with seven goals and three assists last year, are also back.

Vermont (3-7-1, 4-9-3), the 2000 America East champion, struggled to score goals last season, netting 17 in 16 games. Head coach Roy Patton has added eight newcomers, including five midfielders and forwards who he hopes will add punch to the offense. Sophomore goalkeeper David Sullivan (4-9-3, 1.52) paces the defense.

Binghamton has a new conference and a new head coach as the Bearcats look to improve on last season's 2-17-0 mark. Head coach Paul Marco, who had guided West Virginia for six seasons prior to arriving in Binghamton in late January, has added several newcomers to the second-year Division I program. Marco was the Big East Coach of the Year in 1999 after leading the Mountaineers to a 13-5-1 record and the No. 3 seed in the Big East Championship.

Maine (1-10-0, 2-14-0) head coach Travers Evans has 12 newcomers on his roster giving the Black Bears a solid foundation for the future.