BOSTON – The America East Conference announced the results of the 2019 America East Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll on Monday morning. The Catamounts are slated to finish sixth in the preseason rankings.
 
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UVM tallied 26 points in the poll as defending conference champion UAlbany was voted as the preseason favorite with 57 points and four first-place votes. Hartford followed in second place with 54 points and two first-place votes. Stony Brook took third place with 49 points and received a pair of votes while UMass Lowell trailed in fourth place with 45 points. New Hampshire rounded out the top-five with 40 points and the remaining first place vote.
 
The Cats are coming off their fourth straight trip to the America East Tournament - a first for the program. The Green and Gold had one of the top defenses in America East after surrendering the third-fewest goals (22) and logged the third-best goals-against average (1.22). At season's end, the Catamounts were represented by seniors Brooke Jenkins and Casey Garfinkel on the All-Conference Second Team and All-Academic Team while freshman Alyssa Oviedo landed on the All-Rookie Team. The Catamounts will return seven out of their top eight scorers from a year ago including Jenkins and Oviedo. Jenkins led the team with 11 points on four goals and three assists. Oviedo tallied a pair of goals and assists for six points. Classmates Angie Salvi added two goals to the offensive attack and Ella Bankert posted three points with one goal and one assist.
 
Vermont will open the 2019 regular season against Sacred Heart on Friday, Aug. 23. The opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Virtue Field. Fans can purchase tickets at UVMathletics.com/Tickets or at the Gutterson Fieldhouse Box Office on gameday. Free live video will be available in HD at AmericaEast.TV.
 
2019 AMERICA EAST PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
No., School, Pts (1^st Place Votes)
1. UAlbany, 57 (4)
2. Hartford, 54 (2)
3. Stony Brook, 49 (2)
4. UMass Lowell, 45
5. New Hampshire, 40 (1)
6. Vermont, 26
7. Binghamton, 24
8. Maine, 21
9. UMBC, 8