Feb. 17, 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - Stony Brook University's baseball team was picked to finish second in the America East conference in the preseason coaches poll released by the conference office on Wednesday. The Seawolves received 21 points and two first-place votes. Maine was selected to finish first as it received 23 points and three first-place votes.

Binghamton (19 points), Albany (13) and Hartford (9) followed the Black Bears and Seawolves, while UMBC received five points to round out the six-team poll. The league will compete in two separate divisions, the red and the white, for the first time this year, with the top four teams regardless of division advancing to the America East Championship.

The highest seed will host the three-day double-elimination tournament on May 26-28, with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Stony Brook, UMBC and Binghamton will make up the white division with Albany, Hartford and Maine making up the red division.

Stony Brook returns 13 letter-winners including all-conference selections- senior first baseman Robert Dyer (Selden, N.Y.), junior infielder Chad Marshall (Paris, Ontario) and sophomore pitchers Tyler Johnson (Chatsworth, Calif.) and Nick Tropeano (West Islip, N.Y.). The Seawolves open the 2010 season on March 5, traveling to take on Akron in Wilmington, N.C.

2010 Preseason Poll
Rank Team (1st-place votes) Total
1. Maine (3) 23
2. Stony Brook (2) 21
3. Binghamton (1) 19
4. Albany 13
5. Hartford 9
6. UMBC 5