UAlbany Women’s Soccer Notches Program First

The University at Albany women's soccer program continues to reach heights that have never been reached before. Less than one year after beating Hartford 2-1 in the America East championship game for their first ever conference title and NCAA tournament birth, the Great Danes have been picked #1 in the preseason coaches poll. This is the first time UAlbany women's soccer has ever been picked to win the league. The Danes garnered six of a possible nine first place votes. Last year the Danes were picked fourth by the coaches in the preseason poll and went on to win a single season program record 11 games, capture their first ever post season conference crown, and lost in the NCAA tournament to the eventual national champion, Penn State. The opposing coaches in the league give UAlbany the nod in the preseason poll because head coach Caitlin Cucchiella brings back some serious firepower. Among six starters that will return from the 2015 championship team is Senior, Alexa Schneider, the programs first ever two time first team all America East player. Vivian Vega, another returning all conference player will be a junior this season, and Caroline Kopp will be just a sophomore after an all-rookie team campaign. We'll get an glimpse of what this 2016 Great Danes team will look like pretty quickly as they take on West Point, St. Johns, Siena, and Syracuse all in the month of August.