PRIDE PICKED FOURTH IN PRESEASON POLLS

WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College field hockey team has been picked to finish fourth in the New England Collegiate Conference according to the NECC Field Hockey Preseason Poll held last week. Voting was conducted amongst the league's head coaches.

The Pride are coming off a 3-14 mark from a season ago that included a 2-4 record in NECC contests. Regis finished fifth last season, one game out of the postseason. The Pride are only one season removed from winning the 2011 NECC Championship.

First year head coach Nikki Panciocco takes over the squad for the 2013 season after spending the previous year as an assistant at Wheaton College.

Seniors Stacy Burns (Waltham, Mass.) and Kym Kerr (Uxbridge, Mass.) are coming off All-NECC Honorable Mention selections a season ago and will steady the Pride defense. Sophomore Laurie DeMars (Maynard, Mass.) and senior Christine O'Toole (Boston, Mass.) return to help spearhead the Pride attack after the duo tied for the team-lead in goals last season with six tallies apiece.

Anna Maria garnered all seven first place votes en route to being named the preseason favorite. Elms was selected to finish second, with Becker grabbing third place in the polls. After Regis, Daniel Webster was slotted fifth with Wheelock and Bay Path rounding out the selections.

The Pride open the 2013 season on the road at Mount Holyoke College on Saturday, August 31, at 1:00 p.m.

To view the entire 2013 NECC Field Hockey Coaches Poll, please click here.

2013 NECC Field Hockey Coaches Poll