BOSTON, Mass. – The America East Conference unveiled its preseason coaches' poll today ahead of the fast-approaching 2023 season.
The two-time defending champion Vermont Catamounts collected 49 points and all seven possible first-place votes earn the top spot in the preseason poll. It is the third time in program history the Cats have been picked first in the poll.
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America East Release | 2023 Schedule
UMBC and UAlbany tied for the second spot with 39 points while conference-newcomer Bryant rounded out the top four with 31 points. The Retrievers received the poll's lone remaining first-place vote.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
After being picked first last season, Vermont finished with a 12-7 record and won the league's regular season and tournament titles for the second straight year. The Cats went unbeaten against league teams in 2022 outscoring America East foes 129-59 in eight games. UVM defeated Manhattan at Virtue Field for the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win.
Despite the departure of one of the winningest classes all-time at UVM, the 2023 Catamounts feature plenty of familiar faces including six members of last years's All-Conference First Team. All-American faceoff specialist
Tommy Burke is back to add to his record-setting resume while
David Closterman and
Brock Haley – both 50-point scorers a year ago – return on offense. Additionally,
Jackson Canfield,
Tim Manning and
Nick Alviti anchor a defensive unit that gave up just 9.2 goals per game in 2022.
Vermont's 2023 roster is comprised of 52 players from 19 different states, two Canadian provinces and Germany. Sixteen first-year players join the Catamounts in 2023.
UVM, which is receiving votes in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, opens the season at (RV) Syracuse on Feb. 4. The Cats play at Virtue Field for the first time since last May when Boston University pays a visit to Burlington on Feb. 11.
| No. |
School |
Points (1st Place Votes) |
| 1. |
Vermont |
49 (7) |
| T2. |
UMBC |
39 (1) |
| 3. |
UAlbany |
39 |
| 4. |
Bryant |
31 |
| 5. |
Binghamton |
23 |
| 6. |
Merrimack |
19 |
| 7. |
UMass Lowell |
16 |
| 8. |
NJIT |
8 |
