Validate email address in VB.net

Simple, elegant, effective way of validating email addresses in VB.NET, on VB forums: http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=407441

    Function EmailAddressCheck(ByVal emailAddress As String) As Boolean

        Dim pattern As String = "^[a-zA-Z][\w\.-]*[a-zA-Z0-9]@[a-zA-Z0-9][\w\.-]*[a-zA-Z0-9]\.[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z\.]*[a-zA-Z]$"

        Dim emailAddressMatch As Match = Regex.Match(emailAddress, pattern)

        If emailAddressMatch.Success Then

            EmailAddressCheck = True

        Else

            EmailAddressCheck = False

        End If

    End Function