BOSTON - For the first time since 2013, the Hartford Hawks are the preseason favorites in the America East women's soccer preseason coaches' poll, the conference office announced Wednesday morning. The voting was conducted by the conference’s nine head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Hartford, which has earned at least a share of the conference’s regular-season crown each of the last three seasons, narrowly edged out Albany after garnering 58 points and three first-place votes. The Great Danes, winners of the last two America East titles including a 2-1 win over Hartford last season, earned five first-place votes and totaled 57 points. New Hampshire received the final first-place tally and came in third place with 51 points. Here is the full poll:
2017 #AEWSOC Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Hartford (3 1st-place votes), 58 pts.
2. Albany (5), 57
3. New Hampshire (1), 51
4. Stony Brook, 45
5. Vermont, 32
T6. Maine, 26
UMass Lowell, 26
8. Binghamton, 17
9. UMBC, 12
Women's soccer is the first fall sport to kickoff in the NCAA with games beginning on Friday, Aug. 18. The 72-game conference slate starts on Sunday, Sept. 24 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 22. The top six teams in the standings will qualify for the America East Championship, which takes place on Thursday, Oct. 26 (quarterfinals), Sunday, Oct. 29 (semifinals) and Saturday, Nov. 4 or Sunday, Nov. 5 (championship game).