The University of New Hampshire has been chosen as preseason favorite to win the America East Men’s Cross Country Championship, according to a vote of the conference’s coaches. The Wildcats received seven of eight possible first-place votes (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team) and 63 points overall. The University of Maine followed closely behind with one first-place vote and 53 points.
Complete Poll
UMBC (48 points) had one first-place vote and ranked third, followed closely by Boston University (41), University at Albany (36), Stony Brook University(34), University of Vermont (22), Binghamton University (19), and University of Hartford (8) rounded out the nine-team poll.
The Wildcats earn the top preseason billing after a second-place finish last year at the America East Championship. New Hampshire returns six runners from the top-30 finishers at the conference championship, including Matthew Russell, who finished fifth. UNH lost just one scoring runner from its second-place finish in 2005.
Led by the 2005 America East Cross Country individual champion Kirby Davis, Maine is slated as the second choice to win the conference championship. Overall, the Black Bears have two top-20 runners helping them earn a first-place vote and second-place overall in the poll. Maine will also have the home-course advantage as they host the 2006 America East Championship on October 28 in Orono.
The 2005 America East Champions from UMBC were tabbed as third in the poll. The Retrievers' top runner from a year ago Izudin Mehemedovic graduated leaving UMBC without the league's fourth-best performer. However, UMBC does return four top-20 performers from last year's championship team. Among the top returners are Anthony Kelhower, who was the top freshman finisher a year ago.
Albany, who finished fifth at the conference last year, is slated for the fifth spot again in 2006. The Great Danes return Ricardo Estremera, who finished second at the conference championship.
Shaun Krawitz will once again look to lead Stony Brook at the conference championship as junior finished third last fall at the America East Championship. Krawitz will need some help as he was the team's lone top-30 finisher from 2005.
Vermont will look to the team's 2005 MVP Brad Allen to anchor this year's squad. Allen finished 21st at the conference championship last season.
Binghamton, who finished eighth last year on its home course at the America East Championship, returners three runners from the top 50 including senior Jeff Herbert, who was 38th at the conference championship.
Hartford's junior Dennis Roche led the Hawks all season long capped off by a team-best 50th-place finish at the conference championship. He finished the men’s 8,000 meter course in a time of 28:14.3. Roche will be looked upon to guide the Hawks in 2006.
The 2006 America East Cross Country Championships will be held on October 28 on the campus of the University of Maine in Orono, Maine.
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