STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Something special is brewing on the Island.

The Stony Brook men's lacrosse team has been picked as the league favorite by America East coaches in the preseason poll released Tuesday.

The Seawolves, who open their season on Saturday at noon against Sacred Heart at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, received four first-place votes.

They went 5-2 in Anthony Gilardi's abbreviated first season as head coach last spring.

Here is the predicted order of finish in America East, with first-place votes in parentheses:

1. Stony Brook (4), 44 points
2. UAlbany (2), 43
3. UMBC, 38 (2)
4. Vermont, 35
5. UMass Lowell, 23
6. Hartford, 20
7. Binghamton, 14
8. NJIT, 7