CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – For the second consecutive year, the Boston University women’s cross country team has been named the 2007 America East preseason favorite after a vote of the conference coaches, the league announced Thursday. The Terriers received all eight possible first-place votes and 64 total points. On the men’s side, the Terriers were picked to finish third with two first-place votes and 50 overall points.

On the women’s side, Stony Brook (54 points) narrowly edged out New Hampshire (53) for second place, followed by Vermont (40) in fourth, Binghamton (35) in fifth and Maine (31 pts) in sixth. Albany (19), UMBC (18) and Hartford (10) rounded out the field.

On the men’s side, defending conference champion UNH was picked as the preseason favorite with four first-place votes and 60 points, followed by Stony Brook (three first-place votes, 59 points). Maine was fourth (43), followed by UMBC (32), Vermont (30), Binghamton (22), Albany (19) and Hartford (9).

As the three-time defending America East champion, the women’s cross country team will look to defend its crown when the season opens on Sept. 7 against Northeastern, Marist and URI at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass. In 2006, the Terriers saw five runners finish in the top 25 at the conference championship, including America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year Marisa Ryan. Along with Ryan, senior Abbey Sadowski (fifth place) and graduate student Claire Robson (ninth place) finished in the top 10. All three runners earned all-conference honors. The Terriers have dominated the conference championship, winning 15-of-18 titles in the history of the event.

The men return seniors Nick Goodman and David Proctor, as well as sophomore Eric Ashe in 2007. Goodman was BU’s top finisher at the conference championship in 2006, finishing fourth overall and earning all-conference honors, while Ashe was 14th. The Terriers will begin their 2007 season when Brown, Harvard and Manhattan compete at Franklin Park on Sept. 7.