Field hockey ranked second in preseason coaches' poll

The Wells College field hockey team, defending playoff champions of the North Eastern Athletic Conference, have been picked second in the 2016 North Eastern Athletic Conference preseason coaches' poll. Wells received one first-place vote among the ballots of the four conference institutions that participate in the sport.

Wells won the 2015 NEAC championship with a 1-0 victory at Wilson. Nicole Sales scored the game-winning goal in the title game and returns in 2016 for her junior season. Shianne Stokes, a senior, returns after being named NEAC Tournament MVP and leading Wells with 13 points on five goals and three assists in 2015.

Wells was 5-11 overall in 2015 and 1-2 in conference regular-season games under second-year head coach Kat Heterbring. Heterbring enters her third season with a roster that features nine returning players including seven starters.  In addition to Stokes, juniors Kate Wells and Logan Vincent return as significant contributors to the Express offense.

The Express begins its season Sept. 1 with a home game at 3 p.m. against Ohio Wesleyan.

Wilson was selected first in the poll with three first-place votes. Wells and Morrisville State each earned nine points in the poll, but Wells was picked second on tiebreaker criteria. Keuka was picked fourth. The preseason poll rankings were conducted by the NEAC field hockey coaches, with each coach ranking all teams but their own using a staggered points system (five points for a first-place vote, three points for second place and one point for third place). No self-voting was allowed. | Full story at NEAC website

2016 NEAC Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll

Rank, School, Points
(First-place votes in parentheses)

1. Wilson College (3), 15
2. Wells College (1), 9
3. Morrisville State College, 9
4. Keuka College, 3