CENTERVILLE, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology hockey team was a near unanimous choice as the projected top team in the ECAC Division III Northeast Hockey League for the 2012-2013 season. The Leopards were named first on all but one ballot, accumulating 62 of a possible 64 points.

Picked to finish second was Western New England, which garnered 50 points, followed by Curry – the other team receiving a first-place vote – with 48 points.

Under the direction of seventh-year head coach R.J. Tolan, Wentworth returns 22 players from a season ago, including three of its top five scorers. Sophomore Mike Domsodi (Kirkland, Que.), a 2012 ECAC Northeast Second Team and All-Rookie Team selection, scored 35 points a season ago (19 goals, 16 assists). Senior defenseman Shaun Jameson (Long Beach, Calif.) added 25 points (five goals, 20 assists), en route to Second Team All-ECAC Northeast honors, while sophomore forward Kevin Crowe (Galloway, N.J.) had 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points. Sophomore Alex Peck (Kirkland, Que.), the most outstanding player of the 2012 ECAC Northeast Tournament and an ECAC Northeast All-Rookie selection, returns after posting a 13-3-1 record with a .918 save percentage and a 2.03 goals against average.

The 2011-2012 edition of the Leopards had a season to remember as Wentworth captured the 2012 ECAC Northeast title with a 1-0, overtime win over Curry, giving the Leopards their first conference championship since 2004. The Black & Gold earned the program's fifth berth in the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Tournament where Wentworth picked up the Institute's first-ever win in the NCAAs with a 3-1 win at Plymouth State in the opening round before falling, 3-0, to top-ranked Norwich in the quarterfinal round.

Wentworth, which is among the teams receiving votes in both the D3Hockey.com and USCHO.com pre-season polls opens the 2012-2013 campaign this weekend as the Leopards will be participating in the IC Federal Credit Union Shootout at Fitchburg State. Wentworth will face off against the host Falcons on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. before playing Worcester State on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

2012-2013 ECAC Northeast Preseason Poll: 
Wentworth Institute of Technology (7) - 62
Western New England - 50
Curry (1) - 48
Johnson and Wales - 38
Nichols - 31
Salve - 26
Becker - 18
Suffolk - 15