Great Danes Picked Third in America East Conference Preseason Men's Lacrosse Poll

Cambridge, Mass. - After winning four America East Conference championships since 2003, UAlbany has been picked to finish third in the conference preseason poll, as announced on Tuesday, Feb. 16 by the league office. The poll was voted by the conference's head coaches. Defending champion UMBC and Stony Brook share the top spot with 22 points apiece. The Great Danes earned 19 points and one first-place vote.

UAlbany opens its 2010 schedule against Denver on Saturday, Feb. 27. The Great Danes meet five opponents who reached last year's NCAA Tournament field, including defending national champion Syracuse.

Head coach Scott Marr, who enters his 10th season, returns 27 letterwinners from last year's 7-7 squad. Brian Caufield, a USILA honorable mention All-America attackman, ranked seventh among the national scoring leaders with 24 goals and 27 assists last year. Joe Resetarits, a first-team All-America East selection, was Division I's fourth-highest scoring freshman with 34 goals and nine assists. Defensemen Mark Kelly, a second-team all-conference pick, started all 14 games and collected 30 ground balls.

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America East Conference Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
t1. UMBC (3), 22; t1. SB(2), 22; 3. Albany (1), 19; 4. Hartford 12, 5. Vermont 9, 6. Binghamton 6.
( ) - first-place votes

Paw Prints: UAlbany is ranked No. 18 in the USILA coaches' preseason poll and No. 20 in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll ... the Great Danes have named defenseman Mark Kelly, midfielder Mark Cometti, midfielder Dave Brock, attackman Brian Caufield and midfielder Kyle Crotty as team captains for 2010 ... Caufield was second behind North Carolina's Billy Bitter among the nation's top scoring sophomores ... Brendan Gleason, a senior defenseman, is the most veteran UAlbany player with 44 career appearances ... UAlbany will appear on television in five games, including once on ESPNU and four times on Time Warner Cable.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information