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Vote: Which Is the Best New England College Sports Program?

Boston College took down perennial Frozen Four contender Minnesota on Thursday night and are en route to their fifth NCAA championship appearance in the past eight seasons.

Jerry York has worked wonders with the BC hockey program, since taking over in 1994. The Eagles have appeared in 13 NCAA tournaments, 10 Frozen Four's and even won three national titles during York's 18 year stretch on the Heights.

This season, BC looked to be just another middle of the pack hockey team until a third-straight Beanpot title seemed to finally kick them into high gear. The Eagles have been dominant ever since, winning 18-straight and outscoring opponents 73-20 (12-1 in NCAA's) over that stretch.

BC's utter dominance this season, and over the past decade, seems to resemble that of a few other New England college sports programs. The program that could be most closely related to the Eagles is in fact their arch-rivals at Boston University.

Jack Parker is often compared to York, as both are legends in the college hockey ranks and each resides within but a few miles of one another on Commonwealth Avenue. Parker has been at the helm of BU since 1973 and has led the Terriers to three national championships of their, most recently in 2009.

As hockey reigns supreme in the Boston area, basketball seems to dominate the territory in southern New England. Both of the University of Connecticut's basketball programs compete on the national stage annually, and  have even won national recently.

Jim Calhoun took over the UConn men's team in 1986, and the exuberant sideline general has guided the Huskies to national prominence in his 25 year stint. Calhoun has brought the school to 17 NCAA tournaments, four Final Fours and won the program's only three national championships during his tenure.

On the very same basketball court, Geno Auriemma has led the UConn women's program to seven national titles of their own. Auriemma began at Connecticut a year before Calhoun and has seen his program rise to an elite level. Aside from the national titles, the Lady Huskies have made 24-straight NCAA tournament appearances, 13 Final Fours and five-straight Final Fours over the past 26 seasons.

Each school has put together an impressive resume for their program. But which one is the best in New England?

Which is the best New England college sports program?