BOSTON, Mass. – With 11 letterwinners returning from last year's team that finished 15-10 and finished in the top half of the Commonwealth Coast Conference standings for the sixth straight season, the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's volleyball team has been picked to finish second in the CCC Preseason Coaches Poll, announced by the league Wednesday afternoon.

The Leopards amassed 62 total points, including one first-place vote, tying them with Suffolk for the No. 2 spot. Defending champion Endicott (77 points, six first-place votes) was picked to repeat, while Gordon, last year's top seed in the tournament, was picked to finish fourth (60 points, one first-place vote).

Among the 11 returners for the Black & Gold are three student-athletes who earned All-CCC honors a season ago. Reigning league rookie of the year Riley Schoonmaker (Montgomery, N.Y.) is coming off a freshman campaign that saw her hit .277, averaging 1.27 kills per set. Graduate student and two-time All-CCC selection Riley Waggoner (Simi Valley, Calif.) returns after a senior campaign where she hit .304 and averaged 2.06 kills per set, while junior Ashley Cao (Morrisville, N.C.) earned Second Team All-CCC honors last season after averaging 3.38 assists, 0.51 service aces, and 1.97 digs per set.

First-year head coach Nick Baldecchi opens his inaugural campaign this Friday night at home against Simmons.

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