CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Albany men and Boston University women, fresh off indoor track and field titles, enter the 2012 outdoor campaign as the preseason favorites capture the championship come May.
After winning their seventh straight indoor title in February, the Great Danes received all eight possible first-place votes to enter the outdoor season as the unanimous pick by opposing coaches to win their eighth straight outdoor crown. Boston U. collected the final first-place vote and 56 points overall to check in ahead of Binghamton, which registered 50 points. New Hampshire grabbed the fourth spot with 41 points just in front of UMBC with 39. Maine took sixth in the poll with 29 points while Stony Brook (18), Vermont (17) and Hartford (10) round out the nine-team poll.
On the women's side, Boston U. narrowly edged out Albany for the top spot. The Terriers racked up collected five first-place votes and 61 points, just ahead of the Great Danes, who picked up four first-place nods and 60 points. UMBC collected 42 points to take third as New Hampshire followed closely with 40 points. Vermont and Binghamton checks in at No. 5 and No. 6 after grabbing 37 and 30 points while Maine (26), Stony Brook (19) and Hartford (9) complete the poll.
The full preseason poll releases, including a glimpse at each team, are available at the links to the right.