Mar 9, 2006
South Easton, Mass. The Skyhawks of Stonehill College are the favorites to repeat as Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse regular season champions, according to this season's preseason coaches' poll.
Stonehill, which has won (or shared) every regular season championship and six of seven tournament championships, received 118 points and 10 first place votes.
Merrimack College, last season's tournament runner up, received 106 points and the remaining first place bid to take second place. Bryant University (104), Saint Michael's College (80), and Saint Anselm College (67) rounded out the top five.
The remainder of the poll included Assumption College (60), Bentley College (57), Southern New Hampshire University (57), American International College (37), Southern Connecticut State University (26) and Franklin Pierce College (14), respectively.
Stonehill was also ranked No. 1 in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II national poll through March 5, 2006.
The six-team 2006 Northeast-10 Championship tournament takes place May 3rd with quarterfinal games and follows with the tournament Final Four at the sight of the No. 1 tournament seed May 6-7. Stonehill topped Merrimack in last season's tournament championship, 16-3.
Sponsoring 23 championship sports and 15 full-time members, the Northeast-10 is the second largest NCAA Division II athletic conference in the nation and sponsors the most championships of any Division II conference.
2006 Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Stonehill (10) 118 Points
2. Merrimack (1) 106
3. Bryant 104
4. Saint Michael's 80
5. Saint Anselm 67
6. Assumption 60
7. Bentley 57
7. Southern New Hampshire 57
9. American International 37
10. Southern Connecticut 26
11. Franklin Pierce 14
(First place votes in parentheses.)
