BOSTON – With a core group of leadership back, the Suffolk women's cross country team has been selected to finish sixth in the GNAC Preseason Poll, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon. 

For the second straight season, the conference's 12 coaches voted prior to the first race of season to see where the competition would finish leading up to the 2018 GNAC Championships, which are slated for Saturday, Oct. 27 in Standish, Maine. A championship poll will be released prior to the race for all the glory. 

Suffolk finished directly in the middle with 78 points to take sixth, ahead of championship host Saint Joseph's (Maine) (76), Johnson & Wales (75), Saint Joseph (Conn.) (55), Lasell (36), Rivier 933) and Anna Maria (13). 

Headlining the poll was Norwich, who garnered seven first-place nods for 135 points. The Cadets have grabbed back-to-back crowns and captured three of the last four titles. Simmons fell in a close second with 133 points on five first-place votes with Regis (105), Emmanuel (102) and conference newcomer Colby Sawyer (94) completing the top five. 

Will Feldman enters his second season at the helm of the Suffolk program which will be anchored by junior captains Emily Manfra and Emma Weisse. The pair, who made a name for themselves at their first GNAC Championships in 2016 as the first Rams pair to take home all-league first-team accolades the same season, look to lead the blue-and-gold to glory in 2018. 

The Rams have four events to prep for the conference championships and will get underway this Friday, Aug. 31 at the Suffolk Duels, which features Lasell and Newbury.