The University of Maine baseball team has been tabbed the preseason favorite to repeat as the America East baseball champion during 2003. Coach Paul Kostacopoulos’ Black Bears received six of seven first-place votes to edge Vermont for the top spot in the sampling of league coaches.

UMaine received 47 points followed by Vermont (one first-place vote) with 41 points, Northeastern (34), Stony Brook (30) and Binghamton (18). The Bears posted a 40-17 record last season, winning the AE crown and playing in the NCAA Regional at Los Angeles.

UMaine returns six all-conference selections, including 2002 Pitcher of the Year Mike MacDonald of Camden and first-team picks Simon Williams of Portland and Aaron Izaryk.