Cambridge, Mass. - UAlbany, which finished
last season ranked 14th in the country, was chosen to finish second
in the America East Conference, as announced by the league office on Friday
morning. The Great Danes, who earned 22 total points, garnered three
first-place votes, as did Boston University, which just edged out UAlbany with
23 total points for first place. The vote was conducted by the conference's
head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team.
Maine
finished third in the poll with 16 points, followed by reigning conference
champion New Hampshire (14 points). Fairfield (9 points) and Vermont (6 points)
round out the six-team poll.
UAlbany
finished last season with a 13-7 record overall, going 3-2 in America East
play. The Great Danes, led by ninth-year head coach Phil Sykes, returns
two-time America East Goalkeeper of the Year Kristi Troch, who was ranked ninth
nationally a year ago with a 1.34 goals against average. Offensively, UAlbany
will look to junior Corinne McConville, who ranked among the league leaders
with 12 goals and four assists in 2011, en route to being named a NFHCA
All-American.
UAlbany,
which won the America East Championship in 2008 and 2010, was ranked on the
Longstreth/NFHCA National Coaches' Poll throughout the 2011 season. The America
East was ranked third nationally in RPI, behind just the Big East and ACC.
The
Great Danes will kick off the 2012 season on Aug. 24 at Rutgers.
