Simmons earned the top spot in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Preseason Women's Tennis Coaches Poll, the conference office announced on Wednesday. The Sharks captured the 2008 GNAC championship after posting an 11-5 overall record and 7-0 GNAC record.

Suffolk was second behind Simmons with 41 points and one first-place vote, followed by Johnson and Wales, Emmanuel, Emerson and Saint Joseph (Conn.) to round out the top six. 

Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams.