Vermont Tops Tight 2020 #AEMLAX Preseason Poll
BOSTON – Coming off of its second-straight #AEMLAX title game appearance, Vermont is the America East men’s lacrosse preseason favorite in 2020. It’s the first time ever that Vermont has been tabbed the preseason choice by the conference’s head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own team.
Forecasting a competitive season, the top four teams in the poll all received a first-place vote and were separated by just seven points. Vermont received a pair of first-place votes and 31 points to barely edge out second-place UMBC, the reigning league champion, which earned three first-place tallies and 30 points. UAlbany, just one season removed from a trip to NCAA Championship Weekend, picked up a first-place tally and 28 points while Stony Brook, the 2019 regular-season champion, earned the final first-place vote and 24 points.
Here is the full poll:
2020 America East Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
No. School Points (1st Place Votes)
1. Vermont 31 (2)
2. UMBC 30 (3)
3. UAlbany 28 (1)
4. Stony Brook 24 (1)
5. UMass Lowell 15
T6. Binghamton 9
Hartford 9
Preseason All-American Nick Washuta (Vermont) headlines the top returnees in the conference along with reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jakob Patterson (UAlbany) and returning first-team All-Conference selections Ryan Frawley (UMBC) and Chris Pickel, Jr. (Stony Brook).
The 2019 campaign begins the weekend of Feb. 8 with Vermont headlining opening weekend and Binghamton, Hartford and UMass Lowell also in action. Full Composite Schedule
The top four teams in the conference standings will qualify for the America East Men’s Lacrosse Championship, which will be held at tournament's No. 1 seed for the fifth-straight year. The semifinals take place on April 30 and the championship tilt on May 2, a game that will be nationally televised on ESPNU. The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, where #AEMLAX teams have combined to win 14 games all time, including UAlbany advancing to Championship Weekend in 2018.
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.
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