Aug. 11, 2010

Click here for the Northeast-10 release

The UMass Lowell volleyball team was selected to finish fourth in the Northeast-10 Fall Preseason Coaches Poll, released by the conference on Wednesday. The River Hawks, who finished last season with a 22-10 overall record (11-4 NE-10) and stormed to the NE-10 Tournament Championship on their home court, received 180 votes.

New Haven (25-6, 15-0) was tabbed to win their third-consecutive conference championship, earning 224 overall votes and 14 of the 16 first-place votes.

Adelphi (27-10, 14-1) narrowly edged out Bentley (18-13, 11-4), 202 to 192, for second place in the preseason prognostication. Each school received a first-place vote and was predicted to finish in the top-five last season as well.

American International (23-10, 9-6) rounds out the top five with 154 votes after finishing the 2009 campaign in a five-way tie for fifth place.

"I think the results are pretty accurate," said head coach Karen McNulty. "The preseason poll is based on what you did last year and we had a terrific season."

"That being said, our league is extremely competitive and you'll find that on any given day, anybody can win. In addition to New Haven, I look at Merrimack and Stonehill, who haven't lost anyone from last year, to vie for the title this season."

UMass Lowell returns seven players, including four starters, for the 2010 campaign. Under the guidance of McNulty, the 2009 NE-10 Coach of the Year, the River Hawks won their first NE-10 Tournament and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.

Among the key returnees are NE-10 First Team selection Sarah Coscia (Pittsfield, Mass.) and 2008 Third Team choice Jillian Hadder (Yucaipa, CA). Coscia, a AVCA Division II All-East Region selection as well, was an offensive juggernaut last season with a team-best 410 kills and 99 blocks. The Pittsfield native was third in the NE-10 in hitting percentage (.326), third in kills per game (3.50) and third in overall points per game (4.12).

Hadder looks to submit a strong senior campaign. After leading the team in kills in each of her first two seasons, the powerful outside-hitter finished third among the River Hawks with 283 last year. Hadder is just two shy of 1000 career kills.

Volleyball will open the season on September 4 when they host rival Merrimack in the Costello Gymnasium for a non-conference match at 12 p.m.

NE-10 Fall Preseason Coaches Poll
1. New Haven (14) 224
2. Adelphi (1) 202
3. Bentley (1) 192
4. UMass Lowell 180
5. American International 152
6. Pace 148
7. Merrimack 142
8. Le Moyne 126
9. So. Connecticut 119
10. Stonehill 117
11. Saint Rose 91
12. Franklin Pierce 66
13. So. New Hampshire 63
14. Saint Michael's 44
15. Assumption 30
16. Saint Anselm 22