STANFORD, Calif. - For the fourth time in five years, Stanford has been tabbed as the favorite to win the America East West Division title. Stanford has won two of the last three America East Conference titles, and has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 10 of the last 12 seasons.
America East Preseason Poll
California received the only other first-place vote in the West Division, and is expected to finish second in the standings, ahead of UC Davis.
The six-team East Division, which grew by one this offseason with the addition of Monmouth, is expected to be paced by reigning America East Champion UAlbany. Maine, which received the only other first-place vote in the East, is tabbed second, followed by Vermont, Monmouth and New Hampshire with a share of fourth, and UMass Lowell in sixth.
Twenty-two student-athletes who earned All-Conference or All-Rookie honors last season return for their 2019 campaigns. The returning group is headlined by some of the nation's best student-athletes. America East Offensive Player of the Year Corinne Zanolli, Co-Goalkeeper of the Year Kelsey Bing and Rookie of the Year Molly Redgrove are all back for the Cardinal, while Co-Goalkeeper of the Year Melissa Nealon will be in the cage again for UAlbany.
Stanford's 2019 schedule will feature 18 regular-season games overall, highlighted by the Cardinal hosting the Stanford Invitational to start the season. This year's slate features six regular-season contests at Varsity Turf, including America East games against Cal (Sep. 20) and UC Davis (Nov. 1). The Card will also welcome Northwestern (Aug. 30), Connecticut (Sep. 1), Quinnipiac (Sep. 3) and Michigan (Sep. 6) to campus for early-season clashes.
In addition to the home matches against Connecticut and Michigan, Stanford will face three other opponents that reached the NCAA Tournament last season on the road - visiting Harvard (Sep. 12), Wake Forest (Sep. 27) and Duke (Sep. 29).
Under the new six-team postseason format, the top four finishers in the East Division will qualify for the #AEFH Championship with the top-two receiving a bye. The top-two programs in the West Division will travel across the country for the tournament, which will be hosted by the East's regular season champion.
