BOSTON – After reaching the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) semifinals for the fourth consecutive season in 2016, the Suffolk women's tennis team has been projected to finish fourth in the preseason poll according to a vote of the league's seven head coaches, the conference office announced Tuesday morning.

Coming off its first title since 2002, the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales collected four first-place nods to sit atop the predicted standings with 45 points. Usual conference powerhouse Simmons is just one point shy of the first-place spot with the Sharks garnering three first place votes to earn 44 points for second.

Conference newcomer Regis out edged Suffolk for third with 33 points with the Rams landing fourth with 27 points. Suffolk finished one point ahead of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (26) with Albertus Magnus (12) and Mount Ida (9) rounding out the seven team field.

Suffolk will look upon its returners to bring experience to the lineup, which lost three-time GNAC Player of the Year Aidiana Sagyndykova and all-league first-team singles selection Valentina Medina.

The first test of the 2017 slate will be Sept. 5 when the Rams hit the Rhode for a Tuesday tilt at Rhode Island College.