Defending America East champion Binghamton University is the preseason favorite to win the men's soccer conference title this year, according to a vote of the head coaches. The Bearcats received six of a possible nine first-place votes (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team) and 75 points overall to outdistance 2003 regular-season champion UMBC, which had three first-place votes and 72 points. Boston University, which has won five championships since the conference's inception in 1989, received one first-place vote and 65 points.
Northeastern University, which has appeared in each of the last three championship games, was chosen fourth with 57 points. University of Hartford was fifth with 55 points. Stony Brook University (36 points), University of New Hampshire (25), University of Maine (24), University at Albany (22) and University of Vermont (19) 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.
Binghamton was 4-1-4 in America East last season and 12-3-7 overall. The Bearcats advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship after a 1-0 win at Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round. Binghamton did not allow a goal in its final seven regular-season games and led the nation in goals against average (0.38) and shutouts per game (0.73). Junior Stefan Gonet, the America East Rookie and Goalkeeper of the Year, led the nation with a goals against average of 0.38. Junior Graham Munro, the America East Defensive Player of the Year, also returns for head coach Paul Marco, who was named Coach of the Year by his peers in the NSCAA New York Region.
UMBC posted a 5-1-3 record in its first season in America East, 10-3-5 overall. Senior Derek McElligott, who led America East and was sixth in the nation in goals per game (0.83; 15 in 18 games) and was second in the conference and 13th nationally with 1.78 points per game (32 in 18 games), returns for the Retrievers. Senior midfielder Danny Mongello and junior back Marcus Gross are other first-team all-conference choices returning.
Boston University (4-2-3 America East, 9-8-3 overall) returns first-team all-conference forward Sedrick Chin. The Terriers, who won five-straight championships beginning in 1993, are looking for their title since 1997.
Northeastern (4-4-1, 10-7-4) looks to get back to the championship game for the fourth-straight year. The Huskies are 29-14-3 in conference play since 1999. Junior goalkeeper Sergio Saccoccio (10-7-4, 1.21, .750, 8 ShO), an All-New England choice in 2003, anchors the team.
Hartford (5-3-1, 11-9-2) has finished third in each of the last two seasons in America East. Senior Alon Lubezky, who already owns the school record for goals (52), enters the season with 120 points, five shy of the school mark. Last season the America East Offensive Player of the Year led the conference and ranked 11th in the nation in scoring (1.82 ppg; 40 in 22 games) and was second in America East and 11th nationally with 0.77 goals per game (17 in 22 games).
Stony Brook (2-7-0, 4-13-1) hopes to reach the America East Championship for the first time in its fourth season in the conference. Cesar Markovic begins his first season as head coach after compiling a 93-66-12 mark in nine years as a head coach. Last season Markovic guided Saint Peter's to an 18-5-2 record and an upset at No. 11 Brown in the first round of the NCAA Championship.
New Hampshire (3-6-0, 8-9-0) looks to return to the America East Championship after a one-year absence. The Wildcats return second-team all-conference midfielder Tyler Jackson.
Maine (3-3-3, 7-8-4) made its first appearance in the America East Championship since 1994. Head coach Travers Evans was named the America East Coach of the Year. Junior Cooper Friend, a first-team all-conference choice, returns in the midfield for Evans.
Albany (3-5-1, 7-9-2) missed the 2003 America East Championship by two points (three points for a win, one for a tie) after losing a tie-breaker for the final championship berth in 2002. Second-team all-conference back Rodrigo Marion returns for his senior season.
Vermont (3-4-2, 4-9-5) welcomes the return of head coach Jesse Cormier, a former All-New England choice as a player for the Catamounts from 1991-94. The former associate head coach at Oregon State, Cormier is no stranger to the America East Championship, earning all-championship honors in 1992 when Vermont advanced to the title game.