BOSTON— University of Maine, the defending America East Champion, is the preseason favorite to repeat as the conference champs this year, according to a vote of the league's head coaches. The Black Bears received six of a possible seven first-place votes and 47 points overall. Stony Brook University was picked to finish second, garnering one first-place vote as well as 38 points. Complete Poll
University of Vermont was just three points behind Stony Brook with 35 points as Binghamton University followed with 29 points. University at Albany (24), University of Maryland Baltimore County (16) and University of Hartford (9) round out the seven-team poll.
The top four teams in the conference will advance to the America East Championship, held at the highest seed that has a field with lights, on May 25-27, with the winner of the tournament receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
Maine (35-19 overall, 14-7 America East in 2005) won their second America East Championship in four years in a dramatic 11th-inning 6-5 victory over Vermont. The Black Bears continued on to the NCAA Regionals where they defeated Southern Mississippi 12-2 and were then defeated by Oklahoma 11-10. First Year head coach Steve Trimper returns senior America East Championship most outstanding player outfielder Joe Hough, pitcher Greg Norton, and second-team selection Ryan Quintal. Overall, Trimper brings back four pitchers and five starters from last season's squad and will add 13 new players to the lineup. Last season, Maine had the top offense with a .311 batting average and 356 runs scored.
Stony Brook (23-28, 10-11) head coach Matt Senk returns seven of nine starters and seven pitchers from the 2004 America East Championship team. Senior Nick Abel (3.94 ERA) will be one of the Seawolves top pitchers. Abel appeared in a team-high 18 games last season and currently ranks third all-time at Stony Brook in career appearances. Four-year starter Isidro Fortuna is the top-returning outfielder coming off a solid 2005 campaign in which he batted .357 and was named to the America East all-conference first-team.
Vermont (29-19, 14-7) finished last season in second place and went on to be the runner-up in the America East Championship in a 6-5 11th inning loss to Maine. Head coach Bill Currier returnsfor his 19th season and will bring back the pitching staff that combined for a 3.63 ERA and finished first in the conference. Miguel Magrass is a top returner after finishing last season with a team-high 63 hits, 38 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Magrass was also recently named the top pro prospect in the America East by Baseball America. Other notable returners are senior right-handed pitcher Chris Marsh, the first team, all-conference relief pitcher with a 1.38 ERA and a school-record six saves in 2005 and senior outfielder Kyle Brault, Vermont’s all-time home run hitter with 28 career homeruns.
Binghamton (23-26, 12-8) ended last season in the number four seed for the America East Championship, where they were then defeated 2-0 by Vermont. The Bearcats return six starting position players and four starting pitchers from this championship lineup. Scott Diamond, last year's America East Rookie of the Year, is back for his sophomore season after earning a 4.15 ERA last spring. Head coach Tim Sinicki will look to integrate his five new prospects into the lineup. Sinicki was named America East Coach of the Year in 2005.
Albany (20-19, 10-11) head coach Jon Mueller led the Great Danes to its fourth-straight 20-win season last spring. He will be returning 14 letterwinners from last year's squad, including third baseman Steve Wyland, a first-team selection last year. Steve Sayre (.351 batting average in 2005), left-handed pitcher Mark Suchowiecki (4.85 ERA) and right-handed pitcher Giorgio Fuda also return for the Great Danes.
UMBC (16-34, 6-15) returns seven of eight position starters while losing three pitchers from its staff last year. Head coach John Jancuska, with 602 career wins, ranks 45th among NCAA Division I active coaches for career wins and will look to Zach Clark and Jon Pavlis to lead the Retriever pitching staff. Top returning hitter Steve Russo (.311 Avg.) leads a Retriever offense that finished last season ranked fifth in team batting average with .227 and fourth in runs scored with 257.
Hartford (6-30, 3-18) returns 16 upperclassmen and adds 12 new players to the roster this season. Second-year head coach Jeff Calcaterra will look to revive the Hawks who have not finished above .500 since the 1992 season. As a team, Hartford had a .245 batting average and scored 138 runs.