Women’s Soccer Slotted Seventh in Preseason GNAC Coaches Poll

BOSTON – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) has released the votes of the league's 13 head women's soccer coaches Wednesday morning with the Suffolk Rams selected seventh. 

Eight-time defending conference champion Lasell was once again tabbed the 2017 preseason favorite as the Lasers collected 10 first-place votes for 164 points to headline the poll. Johnson & Wales collected three first-place nods for 158 points good for second place. From there, three points separate places three through five. Simmons' 127 points comes in third with St. Joseph's (Maine) and Albertus Magnus rounding out the top five with 126 points and 125 points, respectively. 

Emmanuel precedes Suffolk, who is coming off its first post season appearance since 2014, with 106 points. The Rams, who played in the most games in a single season in the program's 10-year history in 2016, garnered 87 points in the poll finishing ahead of St. Joseph (Conn.) (75), Regis (64), Norwich (50), Rivier (49), Mount Ida (36) and Anna Maria (19).   

Darren Lloyd, who enters his third season on the bench as head coach for Suffolk, boasts a roster full of veteran leadership highlighted by All-GNAC First-Team and GNAC All-Tournament Team honoree Jennifer Martin and Alexandra Nagri, a second-team all-league pick from a year ago. The duo, who each served as captains last season, ranked among the conference best offensively to anchor Suffolk's attack. Nagri sat third in the league in both goals (19) and points (44), while Martin ranked fifth in each category (16 goals, 34 points). In net, the blue-and-gold brings back experienced keepers in sophomore Jordan Pettograsso and junior Kirsten Weiker. 

Suffolk will continue its standing three-year tradition of opening action on the road as the Rams head to Rhode Island College Sunday, Sept. 3 for the season opener. First kick in Rhode Island is slated for 12 p.m.