WINTHROP, Mass. – Lasell College, which last spring claimed the second GNAC Women's Lacrosse Championship in program history, has been selected atop the 2017 preseason poll, as voted upon by the league's 10 head coaches. The Lasers, who appeared as the No. 4 seed in the GNAC Tournament last year, received 89 points and five first-place votes, while second-place Johnson & Wales University (RI) was just one point off the pace (88) with one first-place tally.

Lasell and JWU matched up in last year's conference title contest, with Lasell prevailing on the road, 12-9. The Wildcats will open their schedule next Saturday, February 25 when they host UMass Dartmouth, while the Lasers begin things at Salve Regina on March 2.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine, which captured the 2015 GNAC title and has gone 18-0 in GNAC regular-season play since 2014, finished with 86 points and three first-place votes, as a mere three points separated the top-three teams in a close race in the preseason poll.

Emmanuel College collected the one remaining first-place nod and had 75 points to take the fourth position in the ledger, while cross-street rival Simmons College finished fifth with 62 points.

In the sixth slot was Rivier University with 41 points, followed by Norwich University with 40 points, Mount Ida College with 38 points, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) with 19 points and Albertus Magnus College with 12 points.

With an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line, the 2017 GNAC Tournament will get underway on March 3 with quarterfinal action. The semifinals are scheduled for March 5 with the championship contest slated for March 7.

Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 12 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 17 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement. 

2017 GNAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Lasell (5) - 89

2. Johnson & Wales (1) - 88

3. Saint Joseph's of Maine (3) - 86

4. Emmanuel (1) - 75

5. Simmons - 62

6. Rivier - 41

7. Norwich - 40

8. Mount Ida - 38 

9. Saint Joseph (Conn.) - 19

10. Albertus Magnus - 12 

 

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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.