BOSTON, Mass. – Six-time defending Commonwealth Coast Conference Champion Nichols has been tabbed as the team to beat in 2018 as the Bison have been selected to finish first in the CCC Preseason Poll.
The Bison, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament a season ago, garnered 78 points including six of nine first-place tallies. Voting was conducted by the league's nine head coaches.
Eastern Nazarene, which lost to Nichols in last season's title match, landed in the second spot in this year's poll registering 74 points and receiving the remaining three first place votes.
The three, four, and five positions in this year's poll were each separated by a single point. CCC Semifinalist Roger Williams landed in the No. 3 spot with 55 points, followed immediately by Endicott, which was awarded 54 points. Gordon, the other 2017 CCC Tournament Semifinalist completed the top five with 53 points.
Western New England (36 points) and Wentworth (27) landed in the sixth and seventh spots, respectively, while Curry (14) and Salve Regina (14) tied for eighth to round out the poll.
Under the direction of first-year head coach Kenny Hodgkins, the Wentworth men's tennis team looks to make a run at its first CCC Tournament berth since the 2014 season. An underclassmen-laden team, the Leopards will should rely on leadership from seniors Jeff Tocco (Plymouth, Mass.) and Seng Ly (Lynn, Mass.). Tocco, an All-CCC selection as a freshman, posted four wins a season ago, including three at number two. He was also a member of Wentworth's number one doubles tandem which won five matches last year. Ly competed at number three singles and number two doubles as a junior. Sophomore Alex Mularski (Auburn, Mass.) played number six singles a season ago and looks to move up after playing at both number three and number four during the fall.
Wentworth opens the spring season on Wednesday, March 14, at Bridgewater State.
2018 CCC Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Team | Points (First Place Votes) | |
| 1. | Nichols | 78 (6) |
| 2. | Eastern Nazarene | 74 (3) |
| 3. | Roger Williams | 55 |
| 4. | Endicott | 54 |
| 5. | Gordon | 53 |
| 6. | Western New England | 36 |
| 7. | Wentworth | 27 |
| T8. | Curry | 14 |
| T8. | Salve Regina | 14 |
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