For the second straight year, Dartmouth is the coaches’ preseason pick to win the ECAC women’s title, while last year’s regular season co-champions Harvard and St. Lawrence are right behind.
The three schools, separated by just a single point in last season’s final standings, split the coaches’ 11 first-place votes. Dartmouth led the poll with 94 points and five first-place votes, while Harvard (88 pts.) edged out St. Lawrence (87 pts.) on the strength of four first-place votes to the Saints’ two.
The preseason poll was a near image of last year’s poll. The only differences were Princeton edging out Brown for fourth a year ago and Clarkson’s addition to the league. The Golden Knights debuted at ninth in this year’s poll, ahead of Vermont and Union.
Last year’s preseason poll perfectly matched the ECAC final standings except for the top three spots, as favorite Dartmouth finished in third place a point back of St. Lawrence and Harvard.
The ECAC coaches also named their first preseason All-League team. The forwards named were Brown senior Jessica Link, Dartmouth junior Katie Weatherston and Harvard junior Julie Chu. The team’s defensemen were Brown senior Amy McLaughlin and Dartmouth senior Alana BreMiller. Colgate senior Rebecca Lahar was the pick at goaltender.
