Feb. 23, 2005

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook baseball was selected to finish first in the America East in 2005, the conference announced on Wednesday after a vote of the head coaches. The Seawolves are coming off their first America East championship and NCAA Tournament bid at the Division I level in 2004.

The Seawolves were chosen to win the conference championship after receiving six of a possible eight first-place votes and tallying 58 points overall, seven more than second place pick Maine, which received the other two first place votes.

2003 conference champion Northeastern finished just one point behind in third with 50 points, while University at Albany was picked in fourth with 37 points. University of Vermont (36), Binghamton University (28), UMBC (19) and University of Hartford (9) round out spots five through eight.

The top four teams in the conference will advance to the America East Championship, hosted this seaoson by the University of Vermont on May 26-28, with the winner of the tournament receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Championship.

Head coach Matt Senk returns for his 15th season at the Stony Brook helm, returning all but five letterwinners from last season's conference championship team that went 29-27 overall, 11-10 in the America East.

Senior shortstop Matt Devins, a three-time second team America East Selection returns to hold down the infield, while second team All-Northeast Region selection Andrew Larsen will patrol the centerfield for the Seawolves. Six of the seven Stony Brook players that earned America East All-Championship team honors in 2004, Larsen, Devins, Most Outstanding Player Isidro Fortuna, Matt Restivo, Chris Sipp and Nick Theoharis, return this season.

The Seawolves start their defense of the conference title this weekend when they travel to South Carolina to take on Wofford for a three-game set.