Poll position: UNH looking up at UMass
By Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com
The University of New Hampshire may have the best offensive player in the Colonial Athletic Association this season, but there are plenty of people who don't think the Wildcats have the best team.
UNH was picked second in the CAA's North Division, behind the University of Massachusetts, in the league's preseason poll, which was released Wednesday.
UMass, which returned 12 starters from a team that lost to Appalachian State in last year's national championship game, received 15 of the 45 first-place votes. UNH received eight.
UNH quarterback Ricky Santos, a senior, was selected as the CAA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Santos has passed for more than 10,000 yards in his UNH career and won the Walter Payton Award following his junior season.
UNH free safety Jeff Pammer, who finished second among UNH players in tackles as a junior last season, joined Santos on the CAA Preseason All-Conference Team.
The Wildcats, who have reached the NCAA quarterfinals in each of the past three years, will open the 2007 regular season Sept. 8 at James Madison, a team that collected 11 first-place votes and was picked to win the league's South Division. UNH's first home game will be Sept. 22 against Dartmouth.
CAA Media/Coaches Preseason Poll
North Division (First-place votes)
1. Massachusetts (15)
2. New Hampshire (8)
3. Maine
4. Northeastern
5. Hofstra
6. Rhode Island
South Division (First-place votes)
1. James Madison (11)
2. Delaware (10)
3. Towson (1)
4. Richmond
5. Villanova
6. William & Mary
