Feb. 12, 2008

Cambridge, Mass. - Stony Brook University's men's lacrosse team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2008 America East Conference race in the annual preseason poll of the league's coaches it was announced today by the conference. Stony Brook totaled 14 points in the poll, just three behind Binghamton for third-place. Defending champion Albany was the preseason pick to win the league.

Stony Brook, which finished the 2007 season with an overall record of 8-5, returns seven starters from a team that scored a pair of victories over ranked opponents and cracked the top-20 rankings for five weeks. Included in the 20 letterwinners second-year head coach Rick Sowell will build his team around are five of the top seven scores from last season, a group that accounted for over 60 percent of the Seawolves scoring. Senior Bo Tripodi (Hauppauge, N.Y.), a two-time all-America East performer, was the leading scorer on the team last season with 21 goals and 28 points. Senior Owen Adams (Norwalk, Conn.) accounted for 18 goals while senior Ryan Hughes (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) added another 15. On defense Stony Brook returns a pair of all-conference players in junior Chris Gignilliat (Cicero, N.Y.) and sophomore Steven Waldeck (Levittown, N.Y.).

Stony Brook will be tested early, with its first game of the season coming at preseason No. 3 Virginia on February 23 at 1:00 p.m. The Seawolves will open at home at LaValle Stadium on March 8, hosing Siena at Noon. America East play will kickoff on March 29 when Stony Brook will travel to Baltimore for a game with UMBC starting at 7:30 p.m.

America East Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes in Parentheses)

Team Pts.

1. Albany (5) 25

2. UMBC (1) 19

3. Binghamton 17

4. Stony Brook 14

5. Vermont 8

6. Hartford 7