CAMBRIDGE, Mass. ? The University at Albany, winners of four of the last five league titles, received a total of 25 points and is the unanimous choice to capture the conference championship again, as voted on by the league’s head coaches in the 2008 America East Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Great Danes received five first-place votes, while UMBC garnered one first-place vote and 19
points. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team. Click here the Complete Poll and Release in PDF format.
Binghamton University was tabbed third with 17 points, while Stony Brook University was picked to finish fourth with 14 points. University of Vermont and University of Hartford round out the six-team poll with eight and seven points, respectively.
The top four teams in the conference will qualify for the America East Championship with the winner of the tournament receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship.
Last season, Albany (15-3, 4-1 America East in 2007) shared the regular-season crown with UMBC and knocked off the Retrievers, 15-14, for the America East Championship crown. The Great Danes, who were ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation in 2007, return 22 players from a squad that won a program-best 15 games and took Cornell to overtime in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. Jordan Levine, a first-team all-conference selection last year, is the Great Danes’ top returning scorer after compiling 39 points on 23 goals and 16 assists last season. Brett Queener also earned all-league recognition last season. He saved 52 percent of the shots he faced in the cage and also tallied seven points on two goals and five assists. Eighth-year head coach Scott Marr, the 2007 America East Coach of the Year, also earned national recognition by being named the 2007 USILA National Coach of the Year.
UMBC (11-6, 4-1) earned a share of the regular-season title and received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, the first for the conference since the 2001 season. The Retrievers upset seventh-ranked Maryland in the opening round before falling to Delaware in the quarterfinals. The 2006 America East Coach of the Year Don Zimmerman, who is entering his 15th year at the helm, brings back 32 letterwinners from last season’s squad. Terry Kimener, an honorable mention USILA All-American in 2007, is UMBC’s top returning scorer. He finished sixth in America East with 2.24 points per game last season after tallying 38 points on 18 goals and 20 assists.
Binghamton (4-9, 3-2), which dealt Albany its only conference loss of the 2007 season, earned the No. 3 seed for the conference tournament. Sophomore Steve Carlson garnered America East Rookie of the Year honors in 2007 and was the only freshman selected to the first-team all-conference squad. Carlson, who ranked among the top midfielders in the nation last season with 16 goals, was one of a league-high four Bearcats to take home All-Rookie honors last season. Seventh-year coach Ed Stephenson’s squad begins the 2008 campaign against Cornell, a Final Four participant last year, on February 26.
Stony Brook (8-5, 2-3), which has qualified for the America East Championship each of the past six seasons, earned the No. 4 seed in last season’s tournament. Senior Bo Tripodi, a two-time all-conference selection, including first-team honors in 2007, is the Seawolves’ top returner. He ranked among league leaders with 1.38 goals and 2.15 points per game last year. Rick Sowell, who begins his second season as head coach, led his squad to pair of wins over ranked opponents in his initial season, an 11-8 win over No. 17 Denver on March 10, 2007 and a 13-12 victory at No. 20 Hofstra on April 24, 2007.
Vermont (4-10, 1-4) looks to get back to the conference tournament for the first time since the 2003 season. Second-year head coach Ryan Curtis will welcome back 30 players from last year’s team. The Catamounts will endure a tough non-conference schedule including games at 2007 national runner-up Duke and perennial power Virginia.
Third-year head coach Peter Lawrence led Hartford (2-13, 1-4) to its first conference win since 2003 last season. The Hawks knocked off previously ranked Stony Brook, 6-4, on April 14, 2007. Senior Tom Harris is Hartford’s top returner after tallying a team-best 20 points his junior year.
The 2008 America East Men's Lacrosse Championship will be held May 1 and 3 at the site of the No. 1 seed.
For more information on America East men’s lacrosse log on to the conference’s official website www.AmericaEast.com.