FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Defending conference champs
receive seven first-place votes

WINTHROP, Mass. – Saint Joseph's College of Maine received seven of a possible 10 first-place votes to take the top spot in the 2016 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll, as announced on Tuesday afternoon by the league office.

The Monks garnered 97 points in the poll a year after winning the GNAC title, going 17-2 overall and a spotless 9-0 in conference play before taking care of Rivier University, Emmanuel College and Lasell College in the GNAC Tournament.

Lasell finished second in the poll, as voted upon by the league's head coaches, receiving 87 points overall and a pair of first-place votes. The Lasers went 8-1 in league action last season before earning their spot against the Monks in the GNAC Championship.

Johnson & Wales University came in at No. 3 in the poll with one first-place tally and 81 points. The Wildcats went 7-2 last spring in the conference, falling only to Saint Joseph's (Maine) and Lasell.

Fenway rivals Emmanuel College and Simmons College rounded out the top-five in the voting, as the Saints received 75 points and the Sharks garnered 59 points.

Making up the remainder of the poll was Mount Ida College with 45 points, Norwich University with 41 points, Rivier University with 35 points, the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) with 18 points and Albertus Magnus College with 12 points.

JWU will be the first GNAC team to hit the field in 2016, playing four contests between February 20 and March 3. Conference play will begin on Saturday, March 26, with the GNAC Tournament slated to get underway with quarterfinal action on Tuesday, May 3.

Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 12 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 17 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement. 

2016 GNAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Saint Joseph's of Maine (7) - 97
2. Lasell (2) - 87
3. Johnson & Wales (1) - 81
4. Emmanuel - 75
5. Simmons - 59 
6. Mount Ida - 45
7. Norwich - 41
8. Rivier - 35
9. Saint Joseph (Conn.) - 18
10. Albertus Magnus - 12

– #TheGNAC –