BU women, coached by Strath Haven grad Robertshaw, picked to win American East Conference

Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/6/10
From Press Releases

Boston University, coached by Strath Haven graduate Liz Robertshaw, tops the 2010 America East Women’s Lacrosse Preseason

Poll once again and received all six possible first-place votes.

Head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. The Terriers, winners of five straight league titles, earned 36 points to distance themselves from second-place University of New Hampshire, which received 29 votes.

The final first-place vote went to University of Vermont, which finished third in the poll with 23 points, tied with University at Albany. UMBC placed fifth with 19 points, while Stony Brook University and Binghamton University round out the seven-team poll with 10 and seven points, respectively.

The top four teams in the conference will advance to the America East Championship with the winner of the tournament receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship. The league tournament, held May 6 and 8, will be hosted by the top seed.

Despite the loss of two-time player of the year Sarah Dalton, the No. 12 nationally-ranked Terriers (15-4 overall record, 6-0 America East record in 2009) still return the top scoring unit in the conference, garnering national attention. Senior Traci Landy, the 2007 Rookie of the Year, is the league’s top returning goal-scorer, finishing 2009 with 56 goals (2.95 gpg). Classmate McKinley Curro, the lone first-team all-conference member returning for the Terriers, totaled the most points (71) of any returning player in America East on 40 goals and 31 assists, putting her in the top 10 in all three of those categories last year.

New Hampshire (12-7, 4-2), ranked #20 in the preseason media poll, will have to lean on senior attack Shaunna Kaplan who ranked 10th with 2.84 points per game last year (29-25–54).

Vermont (9-8, 3-3) can claim the past two rookies of the year in junior midfielder Megan MacDonald and sophomore midfielder. As the two seed, Albany (9-8, 4-2) fell to third-seeded UNH in the America East Championship semifinals last year and returns most of its core group of players hoping to advance further this year.

UMBC (9-8, 3-3) is the second America East team to make a coaching move during the off season, as U.S. Team-alum Kelly Berger was promoted from assistant to her first head coaching job. Stony Brook (4-12, 1-5) lost six starters from 2009 including former player of the year Kaitlin Leggio.

2010 Preseason Poll

1. Boston University (6) 36

2. New Hampshire 29

3t. Vermont (1) 23

3t. Albany 23

5. UMBC 19

6. Stony Brook 10

7. Binghamton 7