Both the UVM men’s lacrosse team and UVM women’s lacrosse team have been picked to finish fourth in America East in the 2003 Coaches’ Poll released by the conference office today.

The men’s team is coming off a 5-9 season, 1-4 in the conference, but the Catamounts will be a force to be reckoned with this season. Coach Steve Beville returns the top seven scorers from last season.

In addition to a roster loaded with experienced upperclassmen, the Catamounts will also welcome a quality group of newcomers, in addition to sophomore standout Chris Legare, who returns after missing the 2002 season with an injury.

Vermont opens the season at Brown on Saturday, March 1st and has its home opener on Tuesday, March 25th against Siena.

Albany is the coaches’ selection to win the men’s league, getting five of six first-place votes. Stony Brook and Quinnipiac round out the top three, with Hartford fifth and Binghamton sixth.

The women’s LAX team, coached by Kissy Rowley, is coming off one of the best seasons in recent memory. Vermont finished with a 7-8 overall record last season and advanced to the conference tournament for the first time since 1996.

Despite some turnover on the roster, the Cats are primed for another solid season. Junior captain Molly Sheehan, a second-team All-Conference selection last year, returns as do sophomore standouts Mackenzie Dean and Vanessa Cox. Both Dean and Cox were named to the All-Rookie team in 2002, while Dean was also a second-team All-Conference selection.

Boston University, the defending America East champion, garnered four first-place votes and is the pick of the league’s coaches to win the women’s title again in 2003. New Hampshire and Albany are 2 and 3, while Stony Brook and Binghamton round out the ranking.

-SportsInfo