Western New England Picked Fifth in CCC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (August 24, 2017) – The Western New England University women's tennis team has been picked to finish fifth in the 2017 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was released on Thursday afternoon.
Western New England received 44 points on its way to fifth place among nine teams in the CCC. Defending conference champion Nichols College was selected as the preseason favorite with 80 points and eight of the nine first place votes, while Endicott College took second place with the final first place tally and 72 points. Roger Williams University (62 points) and Gordon College (56) checked in at third and fourth, respectively.
Eastern Nazarene College (30) was slotted sixth in the poll behind the Golden Bears, while the Wentworth Institute of Technology (27), Salve Regina University (23) and Curry College (11) rounded out the final three spots.
Western New England turned in an 8-6 record (4-4 CCC) last season en route to the program's third straight appearance in the CCC Tournament. Senior Christina D'Agostino (Bohemia, N.Y.) is the team's lone returning All-CCC performer after earning third team honors for her doubles play in 2016-17.
D'Agostino will be joined at the top of the Golden Bears' lineup by sophomore Morgan Schrader (Burnt Hills, N.Y.), who went 8-0 during singles play as a freshman last fall. Senior Kim Phu (Wolfeboro, N.H.), junior Petra Martinelli (Vernon, Conn.) and sophomore Rachel Bauer (Palmer, Mass.) round out Western New England's five returners from last season's squad. Phu and D'Agostino will serve as team captains in 2017-18.
Western New England hosts Johnson & Wales on Friday, September 1 in its season opener, before beginning conference play on Saturday, September 9 against Curry at the Volvo Outdoor Courts.
