Aug. 13, 2012

America East Release

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - For the ninth consecutive season, the No. 23 Boston University women’s soccer team was voted as the preseason favorite to claim the America East regular season title, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

Led by 18th-year head coach Nancy Feldman, BU received all eight possible first-place votes (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team) to accumulate 64 points. Hartford was picked to finish second with 56 points.

Albany was selected to finish in third with 48 points followed by New Hampshire (36), Stony Brook (33), Vermont (30), Maine (25), Binghamton (24) and UMBC (8) in the nine-team poll.

BU returns 19 players from last year’s squad the set a school record for most wins in a season with a 19-3-1 mark. The Terriers claimed the America East regular season title en route to their ninth conference tournament crown and 10th NCAA tournament appearance. BU advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament and ended the season ranked No. 17 in the nation.

The Terriers returners include 2011 America East All-Conference First Team member Kylie Strom, who finished last season second on the team in points (19), goals (8) and game winning goals (5). BU also returns 2011 America East Rookie of the Year, Taylor Krebs, who ranked fourth on the team with six goals, including three game winners, and fifth on the squad with 28 points.

For the first time since the 2010 season, the Terriers will open the season at home when they host Central Connecticut on Friday, Aug. 17. BU leads the all-time series against the Blue Devils, 5-2, but Central Connecticut won the last meeting, 1-0, on Sept. 2, 2005.