NORTHEAST-10 RELEASE
MANSFIELD, Mass. - The Southern New Hampshire University softball team was selected to finish first in the Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division, as the league announced its preseason Coaches' poll on Wednesday.
The two-time defending champion Penmen received 11 first-place votes and 102 points to finish atop the division. Stonehill College accounted for the remaining first-place votes and amassed 89 points, while Saint Anselm College checked in at No. 3 after totaling 68 points. Assumption College and Merrimack College rounded out the top-five with 67 and 66 points, respectively.
Adelphi University was the unanimous choice to capture the Southwest Division, as the Panthers collected all 14 first place votes and 92 points total points. Pace University was slotted second with 67 points, finishing ahead of the University of New Haven (61) and Le Moyne College (59). Southern Connecticut State University (46), the College of Saint Rose (27) and American International College (19) completed the list of Southwest Division institutions.
Southern New Hampshire put together its most successful season in program history in 2015. The Penmen compiled an overall record of 35-9, captured their second consecutive Northeast-10 Conference championship, won the NCAA Division II East 1 Regional and advanced to the NCAA Division II East Super Regional. Southern New Hampshire set a new school record for wins, and finished the season ranked No. 15. Southern New Hampshire returns five all-conference performers from a season ago, headlined by a pair of First Team All-Northeast-10 selections in senior Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) and sophomore Sarah Lavallee (Candia, N.H.).
The Penmen kick off the season on Friday, March 11 with a doubleheader against Pace and Saint Thomas Aquinas in Claremont, Florida. SNHU opens its home slate on Saturday, March 26 with a twinbill against Merrimack beginning at noon.
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2016 Northeast-10 Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Northeast
1. So. New Hampshire - 102 (11)
2. Stonehill - 89 (4)
3. Saint Anselm - 68
4. Assumption - 67
5. Merrimack - 66
6. Bentley - 41
7. Franklin Pierce - 29
8. Saint Michael's - 14
Southwest
1. Adelphi - 92 (14)
2. Pace - 67
3. New Haven - 61
4. Le Moyne - 59 (1)
5. So. Connecticut - 46
6. Saint Rose - 27
