Nighthawks Tabbed #6 in NECC Preseason Poll

ATTLEBORO, Mass. - Lesley University has been tabbed as the preseason favorite to capture the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) softball championship, it was announced today by Commissioner Del Malloy. Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the NECC's head softball coaches.

Softball is the only spring sport that all nine NECC members sponsor.

The Lesley Lynx (27-14, 15-1 NECC), the defending 2009 NECC Softball Champions, received four of the nine first-place votes in the 2010 NECC preseason poll. The Lynx are led by head coach Jen Benway who is in her tenth year with a record of 126-183. Lesley will return eight players and five starters including three all-conference players in Jodi Fralick (Woburn, Mass.), Alyson Durben (Stow, Mass.) and hurler Cassandra Knox (Sea Cliff, N.Y.).

Elms College was picked as the runner-up receiving three first-place votes. Mitchell College was third with 45 points. Daniel Webster College was close behind tallying 44 points for the fourth place spot. Bay Path College rounded out the top five receiving 37 points.

Teams received nine points for every first place vote received, eight points for second place votes, seven points for third place votes, down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.

2010 NECC PRESEASON SOFTBALL POLL

TEAM, POINTS (1st Place votes)
Lesley, 60(4)

Elms, 59 (3)                          

Mitchell, 45                      

Daniel Webster, 44          

Bay Path, 37                    

Newbury, 22             

Wheelock, 19                   

Becker, 18                        

Southern Vermont, 11  

- Press release provided by Christa Parulis-Kaye, Assistant Commissioner for Media Relations - New England Collegiate Conference