Women's Lacrosse Picked to Finish Ninth in CCC Preseason Poll

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Western New England University has been selected as the favorite to win the 2014 Commonwealth Coast Conference women's lacrosse championship after receiving five first place votes and a total of 76 points in the CCC preseason coaches' poll. Endicott College, the eight-time defending champion, placed second after garnering the remaining four first place votes and a total of 75 points. Gordon College claimed third with 60 points, while the Curry College was slated fourth after receiving 49 points to round out the top billing. Wentworth Institute of Technology was picked to finish ninth after receiving 11 points.

Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the league's head women's lacrosse coaches.

The No. 1 and No. 2 selections in the 2014 preseason poll faced off for the CCC crown a season ago. The Gulls avenged their only loss of the 2013 regular season, as they were able to defeat the Golden Bears in the CCC championship title game by a score of 17-15.

Endicott went on to make its eighth-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Tournament after earning the CCC's automatic bid. The Gulls made program history, as they recorded their first ever NCAA tournament victory with a 4-3 win over Springfield. Endicott's season came to an end in the second round of the national tournament, as Middlebury, an eventual NCAA semifinalist, took a 13-4 victory over the Gulls.

All nine CCC women's lacrosse teams will kick off their quest for the 2014 conference title within the next two weeks. The top six teams in the regular-season conference standings will qualify for the conference tournament, which will begin on Saturday, April 26 with quarterfinal action between seeds 3-6. The top two seeds will then host semifinal games on Wednesday, April 30 and the championship game will be held on Saturday, May 3 at the highest remaining seed.

The Wentworth Institute of Technology (1-11, 0-8 CCC) women's lacrosse team played its inaugural varsity season in 2013, and despite some growing pains that go with a first-year program, the team gained experience which should help it moving forward. Among the 11 players returning for this season for second-year head coach Helena Iaquinta, the Leopards return their top two scorers from a season ago, and veterans at all positions. Jessica Houghton had 41 points (28 goals, 13 assists) to lead the team, as well as controlling play with 61 draw controls. Houghton also scooped up 46 ground balls and caused 21 turnovers. Pam Mudge (18 goals, four assists) and Julie Azzinaro (nine goals, two assists) also look to help the offense, while Alexandrea Banks (11 points, 25 ground balls, 12 caused turnovers) was solid at midfield and will see more of a role on attack. Beverly Farris (27 ground balls, 17 caused turnovers) and Decia Splaine (12 ground balls, nine caused turnovers) will anchor the defense while Hayley Patton returns in between the pipes.

2014 CCC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll

(Portions of this release courtesy of the Commonwealth Coast Conference office)