BOSTON COLLEGE, UMASS LOWELL PICKED TO WIN LEAGUE IN MEN'S PRESEASON COACHES POLL



BC and UML share the top spot in the Hockey East Preseason Coaches Poll

BOSTON - Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna released the 2013-14 men's preseason coaches poll on Tuesday afternoon, which was announced at the league's annual media day in the Legends Club at the TD Garden.

Boston College and UMass Lowell were both chosen atop the league's preseason poll. The Eagles were selected in the top spot by the league's 11 head coaches for the sixth straight season. The River Hawks, who are coming off their first Hockey East regular-season and tournament championships in school history, garnered seven first-place votes led by two-time Hockey East Coach of the Year Norm Bazin. Boston College received the other four first-place tallies under the direction of NCAA all-time wins leader Jerry York.

New Hampshire and Notre Dame also were chosen in a tie for third with 84 points apiece, followed by Providence (79 pts.) and Boston University (67). Merrimack was selected in the seventh spot with 54, followed by Maine (45) and Vermont (34). Massachusetts (32) and Northeastern (28) rounded out the remaining teams in the preseason coaches poll.

The Hockey East Association is a 11-team Division I college men's hockey conference founded in 1984 and an eight team Division I women's league which began play in 2002-03. The men's league has won eight NCAA championships in the past 21 years. Since 1999, Hockey East has won six NCAA Championships and have placed 21 teams in the Frozen Four, along with 56 teams in the NCAA Tournament.

