SOUTH EASTON, MASS. – The Chieftains of Stonehill College are the unanimous favorites to repeat as Northeast-10 Conference women’s lacrosse champions, according to this season’s preseason coaches’ poll.

Stonehill, which has won (or shared) every regular season championship and five of six tournament championships, received a maximum 121 points and all 11 first place votes.

Bryant University, last season’s tournament runner up, received 102 points to take second place. Saint Michael’s College, with 96 points, Merrimack College (88) and Bentley College (78) rounded out the top five.

The remainder of the poll included Saint Anselm College, Assumption College, American International College, Franklin Pierce College, Southern Connecticut State University and Southern New Hampshire University, respectively.

Stonehill was also ranked No. 4 in the preseason Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II national poll.
The six-team 2005 Northeast-10 Championship tournament takes place May 4th with quarterfinal games and follows with the tournament Final Four at the sight of the No. 1 tournament seed May 7-8. Stonehill topped Bryant in last season’s tournament championship, 13-8.

Sponsoring 23 championship sports and 15 full-time members, the Northeast-10 is the second largest NCAA Division II athletic conference in the nation and sponsors the most championships of any Division II conference.

2005 Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Stonehill (11) 121 Points

2. Bryant 102

3. Saint Michael’s 96

4. Merrimack 88

5. Bentley 78

6. Saint Anselm 65

7. Assumption 59

8. American International 37

9. Franklin Pierce 32

10. Southern Connecticut 27

11. Southern New Hampshire 21 0-10

(First place votes in parentheses.)