MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Southern New Hampshire University women's soccer team was selected third in the NE10 Preseason Coaches' Poll on Thursday.
The College of Saint Rose gathered 10 first-place votes and 166 total points to take the top spot. Stonehill College claimed 138 points to finish just ahead of SNHU in second place. The Penmen, who have been picked second or better in three straight polls, totaled 136 points. Adelphi University earned a first-place vote and 135 points to slot in fourth.
Bentley University also received a first-place vote and posted 105 points to place fifth, just ahead of Franklin Pierce University, which collected a first-place vote and 103 points. American International College nabbed the remaining first-place vote and 95 points to edge Southern Connecticut State University (93) for seventh. Pace University (81) narrowly beat out Saint Anselm College (80) for ninth, with Assumption University (60) finishing 11th. The University of New Haven (32), Le Moyne College (28) and Saint Michael's College (22) rounded out the poll.
Head coach Elie Monteiro will begin his eighth season at the helm for the Penmen, who are coming off a 2019 campaign in which they went 10-6-2, fell in the NE10 quarterfinals and then suffered a penalty-kick loss in the NCAAs following a scoreless draw. SNHU will be looking for its fourth straight NCAA berth.
Southern New Hampshire will be returning three of their top four leading scorers from 2019, including leading scorer, graduate student Allyson Patterson (Seekonk, Mass.), who notched 25 points on 10 goals and five assists. Senior Sydney Carney (Northborough, Mass.) is also back, coming off a 5-goal, 11-assist, 21-point campaign. Jordan Butters (Beverly, Mass.), who made an impact as a freshman with four goals and an assist for nine points, will also add to the scoring punch. Senior goalkeeper Hannah Rose (Waterloo, Ontario) played all but 26:59 in net for the Penmen in '19 and recorded a 1.75 goals-against average and .761 save percentage.
SNHU will open the season on the road at the University of Bridgeport on Friday, Sept. 3 (7 p.m.) and will remain at Bridgeport on Sunday (Sept. 5) to take on the College of Staten Island at noon. The Penmen will play host to Adelphi University on Sunday, Sept. 12 (12 p.m.) in their home opener at Penmen Stadium.
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2021 NE10 Preseason Women's Soccer Coaches' Poll
1) Saint Rose – 166 (10)
2) Stonehill - 138
3) Southern New Hampshire - 136
4) Adelphi – 135 (1)
5) Bentley – 105 (1)
6) Franklin Pierce – 103 (1)
7) American International – 95 (1)
8) Southern Connecticut - 93
9) Pace - 81
10) Saint Anselm - 80
11) Assumption - 60
12) New Haven - 32
13) Le Moyne - 28
14) Saint Michael's – 22
