WATCH: CAC Field Hockey Preseason Webcast

YORK, Pa. - Two-time defending CAC champion Salisbury was again the top choice to claim conference hardware in 2015 in a preseason poll among conference coaches. The Sea Gulls, who have advanced to two straight Final Fours, were unanimously selected as the preseason favorite with six first-place votes and 36 points in the voting of the seven CAC coaches.

Salisbury edged Christopher Newport in overtime for the second consecutive year in last season's CAC title game, earning the Sea Gulls theirs 18^th CAC crown in the last 20 years. The Sea Gulls enter the year ranked No. 2 in the NFHCA National Rankings. Christopher Newport and Mary Washington also received high marks in the CAC preseason poll, with CNU in second with one first-place vote and 29 points, and UMW close behind in third with 28 points. CNU (No. 16) and UMW (No. 17) are also in the NFHCA preseason top-20.

Following the top three in the preseason poll were York (19 points), St. Mary's (15 points), Wesley (11 points) and Frostburg State (9 points).

Five of the seven CAC squads will advance to the conference playoffs, with the championship game set for Saturday, Nov. 7. Six CAC teams begin their campaigns on Tuesday, Sept. 1, with York opening up its season the following day.

Here is a quick look at each team heading into the 2015 season:

Coming off the program's second straight trip to the CAC Championship Game, CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT returns a solid contingent from last year's squad that finished 12-7 overall. Guided by head coach Carrie Moura, the Captains welcome back a pair of returning All-CAC selections in Alexa Hendrickson and Lisa Murphy as well as first-team All-State goalie, Bailey Lien. Overall, CNU returns nine of 11 starters from the 2014 team.

Behind the return of nine starters, FROSTBURG STATE fifth-year head coach Carly Sweeney yields a wealth of talent on her 2015 roster. The Bobcats just missed out on the CAC Tournament last fall and Sweeney and her staff have the depth and returning talent to clear that hurdle. With five seniors, the return of its top two scorers, three starting defenders and a 16-game starter in goal, Frostburg State is poised for a postseason trip to the CAC Tournament.

MARY WASHINGTON enters the season with high hopes after finishing 15-5 a season ago, and lost just one player to graduation. The Eagles will rely heavily on All-America midfielder Haley Kane, the winner of the NFHCA Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, as well as all-region and all-conference selections Jenna Steele and Kathleen Namey, and all-CAC returnees Christine Loehr and Carlee Budd as they look to return to the NCAA Final Four for the second time in four years. Steele already ranks fourth all time in school scoring in career points, and is fifth all time in goals.

ST. MARY'S experienced its second consecutive 10-win season last year but the Seahawks have big shoes to fill with the graduation of all-region goalkeeper Christy Bishop and the team's leading scorer, Olivia Edwards. All-conference selection Grace Reingruber returns to command St. Mary's midfield while Brady Wolf, Nina Collins, and Carly Todd will look to pick up the offensive slack left by Edwards' graduation.

SALISBURY returns five All-Capital Athletic Conference performers for the 2015 season, giving leadership at each area of the field. First-team All-CAC, All-Region and second-team All-American pick Courtney Jantzen returns at the forward position. Her 22 goals in 2014 ranked 10th in program history for a single-season total. She's joined up front by senior Samantha Johnson, who dished out 16 assists last year, tying for second in program history in that category. The Sea Gull offense scored 4.95 goals per game last season, leading the nation in that category.  Junior Hannah Miller will patrol the midfield, while fellow All-CAC picks, seniors Breck Sullivan and Amanada Cooper will anchor a strong defense which led the CAC and ranked 10th nationally in goals-against average (0.95) in 2014.

WESLEY was just a step away from making the CAC Playoffs last season, but will look to break through to the postseason in 2015. Senior Morgan Seymour will look to anchor the defense while Renee Schneider and Meghan Groom will lead a young offensive unit. In net the team will rely on senior Kayla Fromal, who appeared in seven games last season.

YORK begins the 2015 season looking to build off a wildly successful season in which they won 13 games, a nine win improvement over the 2013 season. Head coach Carly Zinn welcomes back a bulk of scoring led by CAC Rookie of the Year Ali Posey as she had one of the most dynamic first years in school history. Posey tallied 28 points on 12 goals and four assists including four game-winning goals. Fellow sophomore Autumn Mallory was second on the team in scoring with 23 points on 11 goals and an assist. Shania Gelvin (17 points), Beth Patrick (12 points) and Holly Martin (11 points) are the Spartans' other returning double digit scorers. The Spartans need to replace All-CAC defender Katie Petrillo but Zinn is hopeful a strong crop of newcomers will bolster the York defense.

2015 CAC Field Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll