Becker tops NECC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll

For Immediate Release:
November 13, 2008

ATTLEBORO, Mass. - Becker College has been tabbed as the preseason favorite to capture the New England Collegiate Conference women's basketball championship, it was announced today by Commissioner Del Malloy. Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the NECC's head women's basketball coaches.

This is the inaugural year for the New England Collegiate Conference. Women's basketball is the only Winter NECC sport that all nine members sponsor.

The Becker Hawks (18-11, 9-6 NAC) received six of the eight first-place votes in the 2008 NECC preseason poll. The Hawks are led by head coach Karen Powell who will return four starting players including a North Atlantic Conference second team member, Beth Pion (Enfield, Conn.). Powell, in her first season with the Hawks, will attempt to help the Hawks grab back-to-back conference championships.  Becker earned the NAC title last season receiving their first-ever bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Lesley University was picked as the runner-up receiving two first place votes with 71 total points. Daniel Webster College notched one first place vote with 59 total points to earn the third spot. Elms College earned the fourth place spot with 55 points, while Mitchell College rounded out the top five with 47 points. Newbury College and Wheelock finished sixth and seventh with 31 and 27 points respectively. Southern Vermont College was picked eighth with 21 points while Bay Path College finished ninth with 17 points.

Teams received nine points for every first place vote received, eight points for second place votes, seven points for third place votes, down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.

2008 NECC PRESEASON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL POLL
TEAM, POINTS (1st Place votes)
1-Becker, 77 (6)
2-Lesley, 71 (2)
3-Daniel Webster, 59 (1)
4-Elms, 55
5-Mitchell, 47
6-Newbury, 31
7-Wheelock, 27
8-Southern Vermont, 21
9-Bay Path, 17