Cambridge, Mass. - The University at Albany men's cross country team has been picked to finish fifth, while the women's squad was projected to tie for sixth, according to the preseason polls conducted by the America East Conference head coaches and released on Wednesday, Sept. 1 by the league office.
On the men's side, Binghamton was selected to win its second consecutive title. The Bearcats received 57 points and six of a possible eight first-place votes. Stony Brook was second with 49 points and two first-place votes. New Hampshire and Boston University were tabbed third and fourth, respectively, with the Terriers receiving the final first-place vote. UAlbany, Maine, Vermont, UMBC and Hartford rounded out the poll.
The UAlbany men did not lose any runners to graduation from last year's team which placed fourth in the standings despite fielding the youngest squad at the championship meet. Sophomore Alex Leuchanka, an All-East selection for finishing ninth at the 2009 IC4A Championship, is the top returner. R.J. Sniffen, who redshirted last fall, expects to pick up where he left off when he was the team's second-best runner two seasons ago as a true freshman. He previously garnered All-East honors for his 20th-place performance at the 2008 IC4A Championship and also competed in the 5,000-meter run at USA Junior Nationals in 2009. Sophomore Sean Halpin, who earned USA Junior National All-American honors in the 1,500-meters this past spring, and Paul Lagno also return, while junior transfer Chris Burke, a two-time All-American and national champion at SUNY Delhi, leads the list of newcomers.
Stony Brook, which participated as a team at the NCAA Championships in 2007 and 2008, was unanimously picked to win its fourth straight women's crown. The Seawolves received the maximum eight first-place votes and 64 points. New Hampshire earned 48 points to finish second in the poll, while Maine followed closely in third with 47 points. Boston University was picked fourth with 44 points and earned the last first-place vote, while Vermont, UAlbany and Binghamton, UMBC and Hartford completed the poll.
Like the men's squad, UAlbany's women's team is poised to make a jump in the conference with everyone back from last year's squad which tied for fifth at the America East meet. The Great Danes most notably return three All-East selections in junior Ada Lauterbach, sophomore Miranda McConnell and senior Jenn Pierson. Lauterbach finished first on the squad at five of the six meets last season, which included a 17th-place finish at the America East competition. She also placed 13th overall and two spots behind McConnell at the 2009 ECAC Championship. Pierson will look to build off a strong outdoor campaign in which she was the America East steeplechase champion before placing 12th in the event at the 2010 NCAA East Preliminary Round. Freshman Kathryn Fanning, a member of a program that won a national championship at Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) last fall on the scholastic level, and classmate Brianne Bellon, who earned a place on the New York State Sportswriters Association's all-state third team, are the top newcomers.
The men's and women's cross country teams begin their 2010 season at the Monmouth XC Kick-Off on Saturday, Sept. 4. The squads will look to sweep the team titles at the meet for the third consecutive season.
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2010 America East Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Binghamton (6) 57 points; 2. Stony Brook (2) 49 points; 3. New Hampshire 48 points; 4. Boston U. (1) 47 points; 5. UAlbany 37 points; 6. Maine 34 points; 7. Vermont 27 points; 8. UMBC 17 points; 9. Hartford 8 points.
2010 America East Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Stony Brook (8) 64 points; 2. New Hampshire 48 points; 3. Maine 47 points; 4. Boston U. (1) 44 points; 5. Vermont 35 points; T-6. UAlbany 31 points; T-6. Binghamton 31 points; 8. UMBC 16 points; 9. Hartford 8 points.
() - first-place votes
