Fresh off back-to-back league championships in 2019 and 2021 (no 2020 season due to COVID-19), Johnson & Wales University (RI) nabbed 12 of a possible 14 first-place votes to overwhelmingly take the top spot in the 2022 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, it was announced on Tuesday.
The poll results are based on votes from the GNAC's 14 head coaches across New England. For the complete results, please see below.
Head coach Chris Flint's program received 194 points overall to finish ahead of second-place Lasell University, which captured eight straight GNAC titles from 2010-17. The reigning GNAC champion Wildcats bested head coach Vito LaFrancesca's Lasers by a 3-0 final in the 2021 conference title game.
Saint Joseph's College of Maine took the third spot with the other two first-place votes and 172 points in the voting, as the Monks last fall fell to Lasell in the GNAC Semifinals. Under head coach Jenelle Harris, the Monks claimed GNAC glory back in 2018, ending Lasell's magical eight-year title run.
On September 1 when the 2022 campaign kicks off, JWU travels to Babson (4:00 PM), Lasell hosts Endicott (4:30 PM), and SJC travels to UNE (7:00 PM).
In GNAC play for the three powerhouse programs, Johnson & Wales is on the road at SJC on October 1 before hosting Lasell on Oct. 12. In between, Lasell is set to host SJC on Oct. 8.
The University of Saint Joseph (CT) finished fourth in the 2022 Preseason Poll, one year after advancing to the GNAC Semifinals. Regis College rounded out the top-five in the voting, as the Pride last fall were defeated 1-0 in the 82nd minute at Lasell in the GNAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
2022 GNAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Johnson & Wales (12) - 194
2. Lasell - 176
3. Saint Joseph's Maine (2) - 172
4. Saint Joseph CT - 142
5. Regis - 132
6. Albertus Magnus - 119
7. Emmanuel - 117
8. Elms - 96
9. Colby-Sawyer - 82
10. Norwich - 67
11. Simmons - 48
12. Dean - 47
13. Anna Maria - 46
14. Rivier - 32
Original source can be found here
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