GNAC Releases Women’s Soccer Pre-Season Poll
Lasell Women's Soccer Picked to Win Third Straight GNAC Title
BOSTON, Mass. – Coming off of back-to-back GNAC Women's Soccer championships, the Lasell College women's soccer team has been selected as the 2012 pre-season favorite in this year's GNAC Coaches Poll, receiving a total of 149 points and eight first place votes. Not far behind in second was Johnson & Wales University with 143 points and one first place vote while Albertus Magnus College rounded out the top three with 140 points and two first place votes. Norwich University was slated to finish fourth with 126 points while Simmons College finished with 114 points and two first place votes in fifth. With 11 points, the University of Saint Joseph (CT) was the sixth team in the league with more than 100 points, showing just how open this year's play could be.
The JWU Wildcats return sophomore Kayla Sypek who finished last season with 21 points on eight goals and five assists but lose Katlyn Gerrish to graduation. Gerrish led the 2011 squad with 22 points on seven goals and a league high eight assists. The Wildcats will look to junior goalkeeper Kara Collins for strong play in net after she posted a 1.18 GAA average last season as JWU's main keeper.
Leading the way this year for Norwich University are the top four leading goal scorers from last season in senior Brittany Casey, junior Baylie Lamarre, junior Grace Fitzpatrick, and senior Courtney Parisot. Casey returns for her final season in a Cadets uniform after leading the team in scoring in each of her three prior years. She finished second in scoring in the GNAC in 2011 with 15 goals and seven assists for a total of 37 points.
The University of Saint Joseph (CT) will look to senior Patricia Nolan to lead the offensive unit after she finished third in the GNAC in 2011 in goals (14) and points (32).
Rounding out the poll were Rivier College with 47 points, Mount Ida College with 32 points and Anna Maria College with 14 points.
2012 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Pre-Season Coaches' Poll |
|||
Rank |
Institution |
First Place |
Total Points |
1 |
Lasell College |
8 |
149 |
2 |
Johnson & Wales University |
1 |
143 |
3 |
Albertus Magnus College |
2 |
140 |
4 |
Norwich University |
126 |
|
5 |
Simmons College |
2 |
114 |
6 |
University of Saint Joseph (CT) |
111 |
|
7 |
Emmanuel College |
90 |
|
8 |
Saint Joseph's College (ME) |
|
84 |
9 |
Suffolk University |
|
82 |
10 |
Emerson College |
|
51 |
11 |
Rivier University |
|
47 |
12 |
Mount Ida College |
|
32 |
13 |
Anna Maria College |
|
14 |