FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dolphins and Hawks Favored to Win Respective Divisions.
MANSFIELD, Mass. –Coming off championship seasons, Saint Anselm and Le Moyne have been voted to win the Northeast and Southwest Divisions, respectively, when the Northeast-10 Conference released its 2019-20 Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll on Thursday.
The Hawks, reigning East Region champions and NCAA quarterfinalist, received 83 points and eight first-place votes to capture the top spot in the Northeast Division poll. Saint Anselm unseats Bentley, who had been voted first in the poll for each of the past three years.
The Dolphins are coming off an NE10 Championship title in 2018-19 – their first-ever in program history - and return star player McKayla Roberts to once again lead the team. Le Moyne recorded 90 points and 12 of a maximum 13 first-place tallies to take charge of the Southwest Division poll.
Bentley (77 points, five first-place votes) and Stonehill (77 points, one first-place vote) were tied for second in the Northeast behind Saint Anselm, while Adelphi (69 points, one first-place vote) followed Le Moyne in the Southwest.
Saint Anselm finished with a 22-10 record last season, as it staged a miraculous postseason run through the East Regional to capture the title and advance to the NCAA Elite Eight. The Hawks were led by Shannon Ryan, who averaged a double-double of 18.5 points and 12 rebounds per game. The team returns its top three scorers from a year ago.
Le Moyne is coming off an incredible year, sparked by the play of Roberts – a First Team All-Conference selection – on its way to a 26-6 record and NE10 title. The Dolphins advanced to the East Regional final, before losing by a narrow 63-61 margin to Saint Anselm. Four of their top five scorers return from last season under head coach Gina Castelli, the reigning NE10 Co-Coach of the Year.
For full poll results, see the graphic below.
The 2019-20 season begins on Friday, Nov. 8, which marks the second year that basketball will be broadcast on NE10 NOW – the conference's digital streaming platform. All home games and conference matchups will be broadcast through the network, free of charge, throughout the entire season.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 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.