Westfield State has been selected to finish third in the New England Women's Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) 2010 preseason poll. The Owls, who garnered 48 points in the poll, placed third in the league in 2009 with a 5-2 record. The fourth-year varsity program posted an overall record of 11-6 last season.
Westfield's top returnees are juniors Laura Chiricosta and Rachel Dionne and senior Ally Brown. Chiricosta was a first-team ECAC All-Star in 2009. She scored 100 points, ranking 15th nationally in scoring and 17th nationally in goals scored (75).
Dionne was a NEWLA first-team all-conference selection last year when she scored 87 points, including 66 goals. The versatile Brown tallied 41 points, including 27 goals, in 2009.
The Owls are scheduled to scrimmage at Salem State on Saturday, Feb. 27, and their season opener is set for Saturday, March 6, with a home game vs. Lasell.
Two-time defending champion Bridgewater State was selected as the NEWLA preseason favorite in the vote conducted by the league's coaches. The Bears received seven first place votes for a total of 63 points.
Bridgewater State, one of only two institutions to have won a NEWLA championship since 1998, returns 11 starters including the 2009 NEWLA Defensive Player of the Year of the Year Erin Quimby and 2008 NEWLA Offensive Player of the Year Shannon Manning.
Castleton, which finished 6-1 in league play a season ago, received one first place votes and 56 points. The Spartans return eight starters including 2009 Offensive Player of the Year Marie VanDerKar as well as first-team all-conference selection Nicole Adams.
*2010 NEWLA Coaches Poll*
1. Bridgewater State - 63 (7)
2. Castleton - 56 (1)
3. Westfield State - 48
4. Worcester State - 37
5. Fitchburg State - 31
6. Framingham State - 28
7. Becker - 16
8. Elms - 9
Note: Points in are awarded in descending order with first-place votes (in parentheses) earning 8 points through eighth-place votes which are worth one point. This is Framingham State’s first season with the
conference. They competed as an independent in 2009.