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America East Cross Country Preseason Poll Released
Aug. 23, 2007 ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine men's cross country team was picked fourth (43 points), and the women's team tabbed sixth (31 points) in the 2007 America East preseason cross country poll, which was released on Thursday. The voting for the poll was done by the league's nine head coaches, as they could not vote for their own team. The men's team returns the services of two runners who placed in the top 25 of the individual standings at the 2006 America East Championship. Senior Donald Drake placed 13th at last year's league championship, while sophomore Miles Bartlett finished in 18th place. The women's team features the return of a pair of runners who finished in the top 25 at last year's conference championship. Sophomore Jessica Belliveau placed 14th at the America East meet as a rookie, while classmate Elonnai Hickok took 24th place. On the men's side of the preseason poll, New Hampshire was picked to win the league after garnering 60 points and four first-place votes. Stony Brook (59 points, 3 first-place votes) and Boston University (50 points, 2 first-place votes) rounded out the top three at second and third, respectively. UMBC (5th, 32 points), Vermont (6th, 30 points), Binghamton (7th, 22 points), Albany (8th, 19 points) and Hartford (9th, 9 points) completed the poll. On the women's side, Boston University was tabbed to win the league with 64 points and eight first-place votes. Stony Brook was second with 54 points, while UNH was third with 53 points and one first-place vote. Vermont (4th, 40 points), Binghamton (5th, 35 points), Albany (7th, 19 points), UMBC (8th, 18 points) and Hartford (9th, 10 points) rounded out the poll.
Both the Maine men's and women's cross country teams begin the 2007 season on Sept. 9, when they take part in the America East Pre-Championship Meet in Sunken Meadow, N.Y. The first home meet for the Black Bears will be on Friday, Sept. 21, when they play host to New Hampshire at 2 p.m. at Alfond Stadium.
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