CCC RELEASE 

BIDDEFORD, Maine – Suffolk women's hockey has been selected to finish third in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, a compilation of predictions of the league's seven head coaches, the league office announced Thursday. 

Not only will the Rams make their CCC debut this season, but the league will also drop the puck on its inaugural conference campaign. The CCC assumed operation of a renamed Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC) and added the sport as the 19th championship sport to the conference Oct. 4, 2019. 

The Rams captured 34 points, just four points behind runner-up the University of New England (38) and a dozen back from preseason favorite Endicott. The Gulls grabbed six of the first-place picks, while the Nor'Easters received one first-place nod.  

A dozen points separated the Rams from the fourth selection Salve Regina with the Bison of Nichols two points shy of the Seahawks in fifth. First-year programs Western New England (18) and Curry (16) rounded out the poll in sixth and seventh, respectively. 

Suffolk concluded its days in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) with a conference championship contest run in 2019-20. As the sixth seed, the Rams upset rivals on the road in the playoff to take on league, regional and usual national powerhouse No. 7 Norwich. Despite scoring the first goal of the game, Suffolk fell to the No. 7 Cadets, 9-2, to end their second varsity season 10-15-3 overall to secure double-digit wins in each year the program has competed.  

A year ago, in 2020-21, with the regular and CCC-season derailed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Rams were able to compete in an eight-game condensed campaign, which featured now conference counterparts Endicott and Nichols.  

Taylor Wasylk's first-ever recruiting class has reached its senior season and that wealth of veteran leadership will look to guide the Rams' 24-player roster. The returners, which are highlighted by forwards Maddy Burton (3g, 7a), Shana Cote (4g, 4a), defensemen Madison Duff (2g, 2a) and Stephanie Moy, as well as goaltenders Lily O'Neil (3.41 GAA, .872 save %) and Julia McLellan (2.90 GAA, .907 save %), will be aided by another talented recruiting bunch.