MARSHFIELD, Mass. – In its second varsity season, Suffolk women's hockey has been projected to repeat as runners-up in the New England Hockey Conference via the preseason coaches' poll, which was released Wednesday afternoon by the league office.
The Rams, who made an immediate impact in their inaugural season with a second-place showing in the 2018-19 regular season behind a 10-4-2 league ledger, have been picked to finish second again with a combined 68 points.
Conference and national powerhouse Norwich is once against a unanimous league favorite as the Cadets received all nine-first place nods after hoisting the conference trophy for thethird consecutive campaign a year ago.
Head coach Taylor Wasylk now has experience on her bench in both returners in newcomers highlighted by 2018-19 NEHC Rookie of the Year Shana Cote (8g, 17a). Second-team selection Madison Duff (1g, 14a) is back on the blue line with Kristen Caporusso, a third-team honoree, (1.72 GAA, .929 save percentage) back between the pipes. To add depth to her 19 returns the reigning NEHC Coach of the Year brought in five new skaters including Meagan MacNeil and Maddy Burton, transfers from Saint Anselm's and Merrimack, respectively, and first-year Julia McLellan, who will add dept in net.
Suffolk, who will skate in the NEHC for one final time this year before transitioning to the newly developed Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) for 2020-21, will drop the puck on its second season Friday, Nov. 1 at Nazareth, which opens a two-game series with the Golden Flyers.
| 2019 NEHC WOMEN'S HOCKEY PRESEASON COACHES' POLL | ||||||
| SCHOOL 1. Norwich 2. Suffolk 3. Castleton 4. UMass Boston 5. Plymouth State 6. Southern Maine 7. Johnson & Wales 8. Salem State 9. New England College |
POINTS (FPV) 81 (9) 68 59 56 43 35 31 21 11 |
2018 OVERALL 21-16-2 15-9-2 11-14-3 10-15-2 7-15-4 9-11-6 10-14-3 6-15-4 3-21-1 |
2018 NEHC RECORD 15-0-1 10-4-2 9-5-2 5-9-2 7-8-1 6-6-4 7-8-1 3-10-3 2-13-1 |
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