SCSU men’s soccer tabbed third: The Southern Connecticut State men’s soccer team has been selected third in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason poll, as it was announced earlier today. Previously, the Owls were stationed at No. 12 in the NSCAA National Preseason poll.
Southern Connecticut received two first place votes in the poll.
The Owls are coming off another successful season (14-2-4) in which they reached the NCAA Tournament second round. The 2011 season opener will be Sept. 3 against Bridgeport.
New Haven was picked 10th.
Also, the SCSU women’s cross country team has been ranked No. 2 in the region in the preseason rankings released by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The men’s team was ranked third.
Yale field hockey gets votes: In each of the past two seasons, the Yale field hockey team has utilized a mid-season hot streak to earn a spot among the teams receiving votes in the national poll. In 2011, the Bulldogs are starting the year there. They earned four points in the 2011 Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll.
Yale returns 13 letterwinners for Pam Stuper’s seventh season as head coach. That includes the top seven scorers and nine players who started seven or more games. The 2010 squad went 11-6 overall (5-2 Ivy League, tied for second place).
AMC names captains: Albertus Magnus men’s soccer head coach Jim Bernardo has announced that Jamal Howard, Nick Hamasian and Stephen Zapata will serve as team captains for the 2011 season.
Howard, of West Haven, was a captain last year for the Falcons, earned NSCAA/Performance Subaru Men’s DIII All-New England Region Second Team honors in 2010. He led the Falcons in goals (12) last season.
Hamden’s Hamasian joined Howard on the GNAC First Team as he was tagged as the 2010 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year. Zapata, also of Hamden, also earned First Team honors in 2010 as he led Albertus Magnus with 29 points and 13 assists. His 13 assists were good enough for second place in the conference rankings.
Gagne feted: University of New Haven graduate student-athlete Shannon Gagne has been selected as one of the top 30 honorees for the NCAA Woman of the Year. The association announced the top 30 women, 10 from each NCAA membership division, Tuesday.
After her record-setting season, Gagne continues to earn prestegious honors from the NCAA and the USTFCCCA.
The top 30 honorees were nominated by conference and independent members and represent multiple sports. Three finalists will be chosen from each division to form the nine finalists for the Woman of the Year award.