BOSTON ? For the third-consecutive year, Boston University has been chosen as the preseason favorite to win the America East Women’s Soccer Championship, according to a vote of the conference’s head coaches. The Terriers received six first-place votes (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team) and 61 points to pace the nine conference teams, while University of Maine also garnered two first-place votes and finished a close second with 58 points.
Binghamton University was third (49 points) and received one first-place vote, followed by University of New Hampshire (40) in fourth, University of Vermont (35) in fifth and University of Hartford (27) sixth. UMBC (24), Stony Brook University (22) and University at Albany (8) round out the nine-team 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 (14-5-4 overall, 7-0-1 America East in 2005) is coming off a 2005 season that yielded its fourth America East championship and a berth to the NCAA College Cup. The Terriers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for just the second-time in the program's history and established a school-record 12-game unbeaten streak during the year. Boston U., under the helm of the reigning Coach of the Year Nancy Feldman, is the preseason favorite to repeat as the Terriers return first-team all-conference honoree Lauren Erwin and a pair of all-rookie team selections from a season ago.
Maine (11-6-2, 6-1-1), who has participated in three-straight America East Championship games, looks to continue its success during the 2006 campaign. The Black Bears boast the seventh-best recruiting class in the Northeast and 84th-best class in the country according to Soccer Buzz Online. They have several top players returning, including America East Midfielder of the Year Marie-Andree Canuel, who led Maine in scoring with nine goals and three assists for 21 points a year ago. The Black Bears also return the services of America East Goalkeeper of the Year Jasmine Phillips , who was 6-2-2 a year ago with a seven shutouts, a 0.29 goals against average and a .900 save percentage.
Binghamton (10-6-4, 5-2-1), the 2004 America East Champion, just missed out on a second-straight trip to the confernece tournament final as the Bearcats lost to Maine on penalty kicks, 3-1, after two scoreless halves and two scoreless overtimes. Binghamton returns second-team all-conference selections Kelly Burnham and Trisha Reed.
New Hampshire (9-8-2, 3-3-2) has been to the America East playoffs in each of the past five seasons. They return second-team all-conference selection Amanda Wiggins and a pair of All-Rookie honorees including the Rookie of the Year Sara Hourihan.
Vermont (8-9-1, 4-3-1), who returned to the America East playoffs for the first time in seven years last season, returns 13 letterwinners and adds 10 newcomers to the team in 2006. Among notable returnees is All-Rookie team honoree Emilie Rowe.
Hartford (4-13-1, 2-5-1) looks to return to the post season after missing out last year for the first time in a decade. The Hawks qualified for nine previous playoffs and won four titles from 1997-2004. The youthful Hawks return two all-rookie selections including Kacey Busque, who was an honorable mention all-conference honoree.
UMBC (9-9-1, 3-4-1) returned to the postseason for the second time in its three years in the conference in 2005. The Retrievers welcome in first-year head coach Tara Koleski, who comes to UMBC after three years at West Chester University. Last year, she led WCU to a school-best 20-2-2 overall record and its third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in school history. UMBC returns first-team all-conference forward Jessica Young, second-team goalkeeper Catie Bukowski and honorable mention forward Amanda DiCarlo.
Stony Brook (5-12-1, 2-6-0) advanced to America East Championship in 2002, just the school's second year in the conference, but has failed to qualify for the postseason. Head coach Sue Ryan added 10 newcomers who should make an immediate impact for the Seawolves and these freshmen will help the youthful Seawolves. Also returning is all-rookie midfielder Brooke Barbuto and honorable-mention defender Krista Shilts.
Albany (1-18-0, 0-8-0) returns 20 players that saw action in 2005, including all-conference honorable mention selection Uju Ogbuawa. Ogbuawa, a forward, led the team with seven points on three goals and one assist, while midfielder Jamie Dougherty also netted three goals.