ALBANY, N.Y. -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was picked to win the ECAC Hockey regular-season title in the 15th annual ECAC Hockey Media Association's 2013-14 preseason poll, it was announced Tuesday.



The Engineers, who finished second in the league last season, received 18 of 33 first-place votes and earned 367 points in the poll conduced by Schenectady Daily Gazette college hockey writer Ken Schott.



It's the first time the Engineers have been picked first in the media poll. Their previous highest finish was second in the first media poll in 1999-2000.



Defending NCAA champion Yale finished second. The Bulldogs got five first-place votes and 334 points. Quinnipiac, the defending ECACH Cleary Cup regular-season champions and NCAA runner-up, is third. The Bobcats got six first-place votes and 292 points.



Two-time defending ECACH tournament Whitelaw Cup-champion Union is fourth. The Dutchmen earned three first-place votes and 287 points.



There was a tie for fifth between Cornell and Dartmouth with 238 points each. Cornell got the other first-place vote.



Rounding out the poll are St. Lawrence (seventh with 212 points), Brown (eighth with 188 points, Colgate (ninth with 125 points), Harvard (10th with 108 points), Princeton (11th with 102 points) and Clarkson (12th with 83 points).



Heading the ECACH Media Association's preseason all-conference team is St. Lawrence senior forward Greg Carey, who got 31 votes. He is joined by Yale senior Kenny Agostino (25 votes) and Brown junior Matt Lorito (18 votes).



The defensive end is dominated by the New York state's Capital Region teams.



RPI sophomore goalie Jason Kasdorf, who was the conference's Rookie of the Year last season. Kasdorf earned 29 votes.



The defensemen are both from Union. Junior Shayne Gostisbehere got 29 votes, while senior Mat Bodie got 10.

ECAC Hockey Media Association's 2013-14 preseason poll

1. Rensselaer (18) - 367

2. Yale (5) - 224

3. Quinnipiac (6) - 292

4. Union (3) - 287

5. Cornell (1) - 238

Dartmouth - 238

7. St. Lawrence - 212

8. Brown - 188

9. Colgate - 125

10. Harvard - 108

11. Princeton - 102

12. Clarkson - 83



