Aug. 21, 2001

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook men's soccer team was selected to finish sixth in the America East Conference preseason poll, the conference announced Tuesday. The Seawolves were one of five teams to receive first-place votes in balloting by the head coaches.

Defending conference champion Vermont was selected as the preseason favorite to repeat, receiving four of a possible 11 first-place votes and 100 points overall. Hoftra was a close second with two first-place votes and 96 points. Northeastern University, which won the conference regular-season in 2000, was selected third, and Towson University, the only team to appear in each of the last three America East Championships, was fourth. Boston University rounds out the top five.

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.

Stony Brook comes off its best season in school history, finishing 12-4-2 and cracking the Top 25 four times in 2000. Head coach Scott Dean enters his fifth year with a team that returns its top two scorers--Shane Arikian (7 goals, 6 assists) and Everett Watts (5 goals, 3 assists)--and preseason All-American Dan Ferrin, who posted a goals-against average of 0.81 and 10 shutouts last year.

The Seawolves open their season at home on August 31 against New York Institute of Technology.

2001 Preseason Poll

1. Vermont (4) 100

2. Hofstra (2) 96

3. Northeastern (1) 92

4. Towson (3) 89

5. Boston University 82

6. Stony Brook (2) 80

7. Drexel 79

8. Hartford 69

9. New Hampshire 36

10. Albany 31

11. Maine 20

12. Delaware 18