CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Both Boston University’s and UMBC’s men’s soccer teams are ranked in the top-20 of the NSCAA Coaches’ Poll this week, marking the first time America East has had two programs ranked at the same time since the organization took over the poll in 1996. The league also joins the five Bowl Championship Series (BCS) conferences that sponsor men’s soccer (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Pac 10, SEC) as the only leagues with multiple teams ranked in the NSCAA Top-20.

UMBC, which debuted this week at #18, cracked the poll for the first time since being ranked 14^th on Sept. 22, 1999. The Retrievers also maintained their third-place ranking in the NSCAA/adidas Northeast regional rankings, climbed to 20^th in the College Soccer News poll and entered the Soccer America Poll at #25. UMBC has continued its perfect start with a record of 9-0-0 after beating La Salle, 3-0, and edging Loyola, 1-0. The Retrievers will start conference play at Vermont (0-5-3, 0-0-0 AE) on Saturday, October 3. Boston U. (6-2-1, 0-0-0 America East) climbed back to fourth in the regional rankings and 16th in the national poll, improved its ranking in the College Soccer News poll to 15^th and rose to 19^th in the Soccer America rankings. The Terriers extended their winning streak to three games with a 2-0 victory over Holy Cross and a 2-1 win over Rhode Island last weekend.  Boston U. will start conference play on Saturday against Stony Brook (1-7-2, 0-0-0 AE).

University at Albany’s field hockey team (7-2, 0-0 America East) entered the NFHCA national coaches’ poll at #20 after a 2-1 victory over #19 Providence.  The Great Danes posted a 3-1 win over Colgate to go undefeated last week. UAlbany will open conference play on Saturday hosting Fairfield (3-6, 0-0 AE). Three America East teams also received votes in the NFHCA poll, including Boston U. (46 votes), University of Maine (28), and University of New Hampshire (4). The Terriers (3-7, 0-0 AE) suffered a pair of losses to two top-15 squads, #4 Virginia and #15 Old Dominion.  Boston U. lost 2-1 in double overtime to the Monarchs.  On Saturday, the Terriers will open conference play against Vermont (1-8, 0-0 AE). Maine (7-3, 0-0 AE) also suffered losses to two nationally-ranked opponents.  The Black Bears fell 3-2 to #18 Northwestern in overtime and 2-1 to #8 Michigan State. New Hampshire (5-3, 0-0 AE) split last week going 1-1 with a 6-0 win over Davidson College to extend the team’s winning streak to four before falling to Duke University, 7-1.

The Seawolves’ women’s cross country squad received 14 votes for the USTFCCCA national coaches’ poll and was ranked #4 in the USTFCCCA Northeast regional rankings. Stony Brook cruised to a first-place team finish out of 23 teams at the Codfish Bowl in Franklin Park on Saturday. Seawolves’ runners took first and second at the meet separated by only two seconds. Boston U. was ranked ninth in the Northeast followed by Maine (12^th) and New Hampshire (13^th). On Friday, Maine and New Hampshire competed in a dual meet. Maine runner sophomore Corey Conner (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex Regional) took home the individual title and led the Black Bears women to a 25-30 victory over New Hampshire.

Four America East men’s cross country squads garnered USTFCCCA Northeast regional rankings including New Hampshire, Boston U., Binghamton and Vermont. New Hampshire topped the America East squads in the regional poll at #10 after the team finished second at its first meet at Providence and first at the America East Pre-Championship meet. The Wildcats men suffered a two-point loss to Maine on Friday. Boston U. garnered 12^th followed by Binghamton (14^th) and Vermont (15^th).

The Boston U. women’s soccer team (5-4-2, 1-0-0 America East) climbed one spot in the Northeast regional polls to ninth after the Terriers extended their winning streak to three games last weekend. Boston U. first defeated Darmouth, 2-1, in overtime. The Terriers then opened conference play on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Binghamton (3-4-1, 0-1 AE). This week, Boston U. will continue conference play by traveling to New Hampshire (1-8-1, 0-1-0 America East) on Thursday and Maine (4-3-1, 1-0-0 AE) on Sunday.