FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Adelphi and Bentley Tabbed as Preseason Favorites by NE10 Coaches
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Bentley and Adelphi have been selected as the top teams in the 2018-19 Northeast 10 Conference Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll, as annonced by the league office on Friday afternoon. For complete results of the poll, which is voted on by the league's head coaches, please see below.
Bentley is the clear-cut favorite in the Northeast Division, recording 112 points on 14 first-place votes - a unanimous selection in the standings as head coaches are not allowed to vote for their own program. Adelphi reigned supreme in the Southwest Division, which was tightly-contested as four different teams tallied first-place votes. The Panthers had a division-best five first-place tallies and 82 overall points, beating second-place Le Moyne (73, three first-place votes).
The Falcons, who have won six of the past eight NE10 championship titles, are led by legendary head coach Barbara Stevens in her 33rd season with the program. Back in January, Stevens became only the fifth coach in NCAA women's basketball history to reach the 1,000-win career mark - joining the likes of Pat Summitt, Tara VanDerveer, Geno Auriemma and Sylvia Hatchell. Senior Victoria Lux, a 2017 NE10 First Team All-Conference player, returns as the team's leading scorer (13.4 ppg) and rebounder (9.3 rpg).
Adelphi, coached by Missy Traversi in her third season with the team, finished fourth last season in the Southwest and are just two years removed from an NE10 championship in 2016-17. Senior guard Niajah Morgan returns as the Panthers' leading scorer.
Saint Anselm (83 points) and Stonehill (79 points) followed Bentley in the Northeast, while Southern New Hampshire was just a point behind the Skyhawks in the poll with the only other first-place vote available. Southern Connecticut State (64 points, four first-place votes) and Pace (60 points, three first-place votes) were behind Adelphi and Le Moyne in the Southwest.
A new season begins for NE10 women's basketball teams on Friday, November 9 - which also marks the launch date of NE10 NOW, the conference's new digital streaming platform that is available for free throughout the season for home and league contests. The NE10 Championship will begin with First Round action on Friday, March 1. The 2018 NE10 Championship title game will be on Sunday, March 10.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.