Coaches Poll

Coaches in the USA Today poll, following advice from a Gallup survey they commissioned, wanted to make their final votes anonymous again starting next year.Thank goodness the governing lords blew the whistle and pronounced that idea unacceptable. The Bowl Championship Series was controversial enough without re-introducing such secrecy. I don't like transparency in my coffee but demand it in polls that help determine which schools play for something loosely resembling a national title.

Division I men's lacrosse Navy's Kiernan earns Patriot League honor Navy junior long-stick midfielder Pat Kiernan received Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors Monday, two days after helping lead the Midshipmen to a 20-7 season-opening victory over VMI. Kiernan anchored a defensive effort that held the Keydets to just one goal over the first 30 minutes as Navy jumped out to an 11-1 lead at the half. The Midshipmen held the Keydets off the scoreboard for the first 14 minutes of the game and then over a 23-minute span that stretched across the first three quarters.

The Maryland's men's basketball team was picked sixth today in the Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball preseason coaches poll. Below is a look at the voting and the preseason All-ACC team.   1. NC State (8) 139 2. Duke (3) 130 3. North Carolina (1) 124 4. Miami 104 5. Florida State 103 6. Maryland 78 7. Virginia 68 8. Clemson 61 9. Georgia Tech 40 T10. Virginia Tech 32 T10. Wake Forest 32 12. Boston College 25 Preseason All-ACC Lorenzo Brown, Jr., NC State C.J. Leslie, Jr., NC State James Michael McAdoo, So., North Carolina Mason Plumlee, Sr., Duke Michael Snaer, Sr., Florida State Preseason ACC Player of the Year C.J. Leslie, Jr., NC State Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year Rodney Purvis, Fr., NC State  

The Maryland's men's basketball team was picked sixth today in the Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball preseason coaches poll. Below is a look at the voting and the preseason All-ACC team.   1. NC State (8) 139 2. Duke (3) 130 3. North Carolina (1) 124 4. Miami 104 5. Florida State 103 6. Maryland 78 7. Virginia 68 8. Clemson 61 9. Georgia Tech 40 T10. Virginia Tech 32 T10. Wake Forest 32 12. Boston College 25 Preseason All-ACC Lorenzo Brown, Jr., NC State C.J. Leslie, Jr., NC State James Michael McAdoo, So., North Carolina Mason Plumlee, Sr., Duke Michael Snaer, Sr., Florida State Preseason ACC Player of the Year C.J. Leslie, Jr., NC State Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year Rodney Purvis, Fr., NC State  

Michigan might hold up Chris Dufresne Los Angeles Times This may sound strange, given that it struggled at home with an FCS opponent, but the biggest surprise has to be Michigan. Almost everyone was predicting disaster for Rich Rodriguez in his third year, given the offseason problems and the fact his team lost seven of its last eight last year. Consider this: Central Michigan received points in the preseason coaches poll but not Michigan. So the fact the Wolverines are 22nd in this week's coaches poll has to be acknowledged.

Virginia senior attackman Steele Stanwick (Loyola) is the Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday. Stanwick is the fourth player in league history to be named Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons and the first Cavalier to win the award more than once. This is the first season awards were given separately to offensive and defensive players. Stanwick leads the nation in assists (44) and is third nationally in points per game (4.9)

Salisbury women's lacrosse coach Jim Nestor was honored as the Chesapeake Region Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association, the organization announced Monday. Nestor guided the Sea Gulls to the national championship game for the fifth time last season and their 10th straight Capital Athletic Conference championship. The team spent six weeks atop the IWLCA Top 20 coaches poll and finished the season ranked No. 2. Salisbury started the season with 22-straight wins, matching a school record for consecutive wins and most wins in a single season.

Preakness I'll Have Another works out at Pimlico Reddam Racing's I'll Have Another, the winner of Saturday's Kentucky Derby, was settled into his new home in Barn D at Pimlico Race Course on Tuesday morning. The horse was limited to very light exercise, standard procedure in the days after a race, in preparation for the Preakness on May 19. "He walked this morning for about 15 or 20 minutes," assistant trainer Jack Sisterson said. "He was just taking it all in and looking around.

The first Bowl Championship Series standings are out, and it's not what you think. While several experts last week predicted Boise State would debut at No. 1, a few key upsets over the weekend changed everything and pushed Oklahoma to the top spot. The Sooners check in with a BCS average of .9215, followed by Oregon at .8921 and Boise State at .8898. Ohio State was No. 1 in the Associated Press and coaches polls heading into last weekend's games, but a 31-18 pasting at Wisconsin dropped the Buckeyes (.5726)

College lacrosse Stanwick, Marlatt earn weekly honors Virginia senior attackman Steele Stanwick (Loyola High) was named Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday after tying a career high with eight points to lead Virginia to a 12-8 conference win Saturday at No. 9 Maryland. He also picked up a team-high five ground balls. Other men's honor: Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Jim Marlatt (River Hill) was selected to the Big East Conference Weekly Honor Roll after scoring a game- and career-high three goals in Sunday's 13-6 victory overSt.

Salisbury women's lacrosse coach Jim Nestor was honored as the Chesapeake Region Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association, the organization announced Monday. Nestor guided the Sea Gulls to the national championship game for the fifth time last season and their 10th straight Capital Athletic Conference championship. The team spent six weeks atop the IWLCA Top 20 coaches poll and finished the season ranked No. 2. Salisbury started the season with 22-straight wins, matching a school record for consecutive wins and most wins in a single season.

Preakness I'll Have Another works out at Pimlico Reddam Racing's I'll Have Another, the winner of Saturday's Kentucky Derby, was settled into his new home in Barn D at Pimlico Race Course on Tuesday morning. The horse was limited to very light exercise, standard procedure in the days after a race, in preparation for the Preakness on May 19. "He walked this morning for about 15 or 20 minutes," assistant trainer Jack Sisterson said. "He was just taking it all in and looking around.

Virginia senior attackman Steele Stanwick (Loyola) is the Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday. Stanwick is the fourth player in league history to be named Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons and the first Cavalier to win the award more than once. This is the first season awards were given separately to offensive and defensive players. Stanwick leads the nation in assists (44) and is third nationally in points per game (4.9)

College lacrosse Stanwick, Marlatt earn weekly honors Virginia senior attackman Steele Stanwick (Loyola High) was named Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday after tying a career high with eight points to lead Virginia to a 12-8 conference win Saturday at No. 9 Maryland. He also picked up a team-high five ground balls. Other men's honor: Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Jim Marlatt (River Hill) was selected to the Big East Conference Weekly Honor Roll after scoring a game- and career-high three goals in Sunday's 13-6 victory overSt.

Women's college basketball Terps ' Thomas named 1st-team All-American Maryland sophomore Alyssa Thomas is one of five players named to the Associated Press All-America first team, announced Tuesday. Thomas, the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, is joined by Baylor's Brittney Griner , Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins , Stanford's Nneka Ogwumike and Delaware's Elena Delle Donne . Thomas is the Terps ' fourth AP All-American.

Men's college basketball Christian returns to Mount as coach Mount St. Mary's has named Jamion Christian as its new men's basketball coach. A 2004 graduate of the Mount, Christian will be formally introduced today at a press conference on campus. "I am both thrilled and humbled to be returning to the Mount," Christian said. "I look forward to bringing energy and enthusiasm back to our historic program one passionate day at a time. I am so excited to work with our players currently here and with our incoming freshmen.

Et cetera UM baseball team extends win streak to 9 Four pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts while holding Delaware to four hits, and the Maryland baseball team won its ninth straight with a 2-0 victory Tuesday afternoon. Senior Michael Boyden , making his first start of the season, struck out a career-high nine in five innings for the Terps (10-1), and relievers Charlie Haslup , Korey Wacker and Jimmy Reed shut down the Blue Hens (5-7) the rest of the way. Boyden (2-0)

Men's college basketball Christian returns to Mount as coach Mount St. Mary's has named Jamion Christian as its new men's basketball coach. A 2004 graduate of the Mount, Christian will be formally introduced today at a press conference on campus. "I am both thrilled and humbled to be returning to the Mount," Christian said. "I look forward to bringing energy and enthusiasm back to our historic program one passionate day at a time. I am so excited to work with our players currently here and with our incoming freshmen.

Et cetera UM baseball team extends win streak to 9 Four pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts while holding Delaware to four hits, and the Maryland baseball team won its ninth straight with a 2-0 victory Tuesday afternoon. Senior Michael Boyden , making his first start of the season, struck out a career-high nine in five innings for the Terps (10-1), and relievers Charlie Haslup , Korey Wacker and Jimmy Reed shut down the Blue Hens (5-7) the rest of the way. Boyden (2-0)

NBA Wizards lose Yi for two to four weeks with knee injury Yi Jianlian will stay behind as the Washington Wizards attempt to end a 12-game road losing streak against the New Jersey Nets tonight. A magnetic resonance imaging revealed the forward has a sprained right medial collateral ligament. Yi, who said he would likely miss the next two to four weeks, was injured in the first quarter of the Wizards' 103-89 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday when Ron Artest fell on the same knee that he hyperextended Nov.13.