BOSTON— University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) is the preseason favorite to win the America East men's lacrosse conference title this year, according to a vote of the head coaches. The Retrievers received three of six possible first-place votes and 32 points overall. Stony Brook University garnered 28 points to finish in second.Complete Poll
The University at Albany, last season's conference champion, earned two first-place votes and 26 points to place third, while Binghamton University received one first-place vote and 18 points to finish in fourth. University of Vermont (14) and University of Hartford (8) 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 Men's Lacrosse Championship.
UMBC (7-8 overall, 5-1 America East in 2005) finished the 2005 campaign as regular-season champions. This year, the Retrievers will be led in the attack by last season's America East Player of the Year, Bredan Mundorf (29 goals, 28 assists, 57 points) and Andy Gallagher (24 goals, 11 assists, 35 points) and defensively by seniors Luke Powell and Justin Berdeguez. Head coach Don Zimmerman enters his 12th season at the helm of the Retrievers, Zimmerman owns the nation's eighth-best winning percentage. The Retrievers will have 12 freshmen on the roster this season. UMBC was recently ranked No. 19th in Lacrosse Magazine's preseason poll.
Stony Brook (10-6, 4-2) earned the No. 4 seed in the America East Championship and advanced to the title game before falling to Albany. The Seawolves are tied for 20th in Lacrosse Magazine's preseason poll, this is the highest preseason ranking in the program's history. Head coach Lars Tiffany added seven players to the roster this season after graduating nine players last spring. Stony Brook will host the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse North Quarterfinals. The Seawolves will be led by Jason Cappadoro and Adam Marksberry, both are on the starting attack unit for Stony Brook.
Albany (10-6, 5-1) won its third-straight America East Championship last season with a 16-7 victory over Stony Brook. Scott Marr's team was recently ranked 18th nationally by Inside Lacrosse and Face-Off Yearbook. The Great Danes open their season against Johns Hopkins, the defending NCAA Champion. Albany is led by Merrick Thomson, last season's top scorer. Albany was recently ranked 15th in the lax.com poll.
Binghamton (4-9, 4-2) finished in third-place last season and advanced the semifinal game against Stony Brook. The Bearcats only lost one starter from last season's team and add 10 new players to this season's lineup. Binghamton will be anchored in the backfield by senior goalie Kevin McKeown and senior defender Kevin Kaylor, who have helped the Bearcats produce the top-rated defense in the conference in each of the last two seasons (goals against average). McKeown was the 2004 America East Player of the Year.
Vermont (4-9, 4-2) returns 34 players from last year's team, including midfielder Sean Layton, a second-team all-conference selection, senior captain Auston Humphries, as well as All-Rookie selections, Jamie Kirk and Aaron Shore. Head Coach Steve Beville also added 12 newcomers to the Catamount roster. The entire starting defensive unit from last season returns for the 2006 campaign.
Hartford (2-12, 0-6) welcomes its fourth coach in as many years, Peter Lawrence comes from a three-year tenure at Elmira College. The Hawks return leading scorer Matt Holman All-Rookie selections and Brian Tilley.
The America East Championship will be held May 5 and 7 with all rounds played at the No. 1 seed.