Third and fourth.

Those are the positions occupied by the University of Maine in the America East women’s and men’s basketball coaches’ polls released Tuesday afternoon.

Despite a major upgrade in the backcourt, the return of four starters, and four straight trips to the conference semifinals, the UMaine men once again find themselves in the middle of the pack – poll-wise (fourth among nine teams) – and in the position of having to prove themselves once again.

The situation is much the same for the Maine women as they return four starters as well as their top six scorers from last season, yet find themselves third with 53 points behind favorite Vermont (63), which garnered seven first-place votes, and second-ranked Boston University (55 points and one vote).

The order is reversed in the men’s poll as the BU Terriers are first with eight of nine first- place votes for 64 points overall. Despite the possible loss of 2001-02 AE Player of the Year T.J. Sorrentine for the season with broken wrists, the Catamounts are second with one first-place vote and 56 points. Hartford is next with 49 and Maine has 44 points. League coaches voted before Sorrentine’s injury.

“That’s where I think we should be, frankly,” said Giannini. “Vermont, BU and Hartford all have the majority of their teams back from very successful squads. They’re all very proven and we may be right up there with them.

“The polls are just something to talk about until you start playing.”

Last year, Maine was voted second behind the BU men and battled through injuries and distractions to finish second.

The men’s preseason all-conference team includes 2001-02 AE first-team member and 7-foot Maine senior center Justin Rowe as well as Sorrentine and Taylor Coppenrath of Vermont, and BU guard duo Chaz Carr and forward Billy Collins.

Mt. Blue of Farmington graduate, 2001-02 AE first teamer, and 6-1 junior forward Heather Ernest is the lone Black Bear on the women’s preseason all-conference team. She’s joined by Vermont forwards Morgan Hall and Aaron Yantzi, BU guard Katie Terhune, and Stony Brook forward Sherry Jordan.

Ernest, Terhune and Jordan were the only unanimous picks.