Seahawks ranked ninth in NCAA Regional Poll

NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University women's ice hockey team is ranked ninth in this week's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III East Regional Poll. This is the first regional rankings poll released by the NCAA for the 2009-10 season.

The Seahawks hold a 12-8-3 record (9-5-3 ECAC) and sit in fourth place (amongst conference playoff eligible teams) with 21 points. Head coach Michael Cox's crew owns a 10-5-2 against opponents in the East region.

"To be in the company of such terrific programs is an honor for our team," said Cox. "We received our first-ever vote in the national poll earlier this year, and being recognized in the NCAA rankings shows that other coaches are taking notice of the progress our program has made in the last few years."

Freshman Rachel Porter (Franklin, Mass.) leads the Seahawks in goals (eight) and points (16), followed by sophomore Drew Chernisky (Valley View, Ohio) with 12 points (5-7-12). In goal, freshman Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.) is 7-2-0 with a 2.08 goals against average (GAA) and a .908 save percentage while sophomore Rebecca Simmons (Averill Park, N.Y.) is 5-6-3 with a 2.73 GAA and a team-high .917 save percentage.

Plattsburgh State is ranked first with a 19-1-2 mark and an 18-1-2 record against regional foes. Amherst is second at 17-2-4 (16-2-4 region) and Elmira is third at 18-4-1 (18-4-1 region). Trinity (Conn.) ranks fourth (17-3-2, 16-3-2 region), followed by Middlebury (14-5-2, 13-5-2), Rochester Institute of Technology (16-4-3, 14-4-3), and ECAC foes Manhattanville (16-6-1, 13-5-1) and Norwich (14-4-4, 11-4-2).

The Seahawks close their regular season with a pair of road contests this weekend. They begin play with a 4 p.m. contest at Southern Maine on Friday before heading south to take on Plymouth State Saturday at 2 p.m.