Defending America East women's soccer champion University of Hartford is again the choice to win the conference according to a vote of the conference's coaches. The Hawks received seven of a possible nine first-place votes (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team) and 89 points. Boston University, which had two first-place votes and 71 points, was chosen second.
University of New Hampshire (61 points) was third, followed by Stony Brook University (51). University of Maine received a first-place vote and 48 points to finish fifth. Northeastern University (43), Binghamton University (36), University of Vermont (24), UMBC (22) and University at Albany (11) rounded out the poll.
The top six teams in the conference will advance to the America East Championship with the winner of the tournament receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA College Cup.
Last year Hartford won its first America East Championship since 1999, closing the season with a 6-2-0 record in America East, 14-7-0 overall. The Hawks, who have nine conference titles in 12 years, return six starters including America East Offensive Player of the Year Jeanette Akerlund, who led the conference in scoring with 15 goals and eight assists. Second-team all-conference choice Cindy Walsh (seven goals, 11 assists) also returns for head coach Eva Bergsten, who will need to replace four-year starters Sandra Kayulu, Katharina Lindner and Tini Lyng, each of whom earned first-team all-conference honors as midfielders last season.
Boston University saw its streak of two-straight conference championships end last season following a 4-3-1 conference mark and a 7-10-2 overall record. Second-team all-conference choices Lesley Garvey and Meghann Cook, who led the Terriers in scoring with four goals and three assists, return for head coach Nancy Feldman. Jessica Clinton, a first-team all-conference choice in 2001, was 7-10-2 with a 1.20 goals against average last fall. The offense is also expected to get a boost from the return of Melissa Shulman, who missed last season with an injury after scoring six goals as a rookie in 2001.
New Hampshire (5-2-1, 10-7-1) made its second-straight appearance in the America East Championship last year. America East Coach of the Year Mike Jackson welcomes the return of three second-team all-conference choices in Chiara Best, Ana Tobon and Debbie Newman. In addition, leading scorer Jackie Wishoski (five goals, one assist) also returns.
Stony Brook (4-2-2, 7-11-3) advanced to the America East Championship game last season in its second year in the conference. America East Rookie of the Year Cindy Bennett was 6-8-1 with a 1.42 goals against average. First-team all-conference back Brittany Norwood and leading scorer Jacqueline Anthony (four goals, two assists) also return for head coach Sue Ryan.
Maine (3-4-1, 7-8-1), a charter member of the conference in 1991, looks to make its first America East Championship appearance. Head coach Scott Atherley returns 10 starters, including America East Defensive Player of the Year Linda Consolante, who played for Team Canada in the World Cup this summer. In addition, leading scorers Heather Hathorn (eight goals, two assists) and Annie Hamel (four goals, seven assists), a first-team all-conference choice, are back.
Northeastern (4-2-2, 8-8-4) head coach Ed Matz had an eventful fall of 2002. Matz guided the Huskies' men's program to the NCAA College Cup for the first time and the women's program to its first America East Championship appearance. Matz returns 10 starters this season, including second-team all-conference choice Jennifer North (eight goals, one assist) and Jess Pfeifer (six goals, five assists).
Binghamton (3-4-1, 9-7-2) had the second-highest scoring offense in America East with 34 goals last season. First-team all-conference choice Tracy Kasmarcik (12 goals, six assists) returns for head coach Jeff Leightman. Tatiana Mathelier (five goals, five assists) and Amanda Norman (two goals, 10 assists), each of whom finished in the conference's top 10 in scoring last season, are also back.
Vermont (2-6-0, 4-15-0) head coach Jodi Kenyon's team includes the top two scorers from a season ago in Jamie Koehnlein (five goals, two assists) and Nikkie Hessney (four goals, three assists).
America East newcomer UMBC was 5-11-1 overall last season, 2-6-1 in the Northeast Conference. Missy Moore, a former Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year, was a second-team all-conference choice as a sophomore last season after scoring 10 goals for head coach Michelle Salmon's team.
Albany (1-7-0, 4-14-1) hired Kalekeni Banda, who had been the head coach at Wisconsin, as the second full-time head coach in the program's history. Banda also served as head coach at Massachusetts from 1980-87. His record as a Division I women's coach is 125-20-10.