Seahawks picked to finish seventh

NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University women's tennis team has been voted to finish seventh in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) in a preseason poll conducted by the coaches.

Nichols women's tennis comes into the 2018 season as the two-time reigning CCC Tournament Champions and as the 2018 preseason favorite as determined by the poll.

Nichols, which has appeared in seven of the past eight CCC Tournament Championship matches, had its second-consecutive perfect conference season last year going 8-0 in league play (20-3 overall). The Bison won both of their CCC Tournament matches handily, earning 5-1 victories in both the semifinal and championship matches. They earned 60 points in this year's poll including five of the possible eight first place votes.

Endicott, which has made seven straight CCC Tournament Championship appearances, finished in second on this year's ballot by a single point. The Gulls grabbed 59 points and the last three remaining first place votes. Endicott's only losses to conference opponents last year came at the hands of the Bison. It will be trying to reclaim the crown after Nichols ended its streak of five consecutive conference titles two years ago.

Roger Williams and Gordon, last year's No. 3 and No. 4 seeds landed in those spots, respectively, in this year's poll. The Hawks collected 47 points, while the Fighting Scots earned 42.

Western New England (32 points), Wentworth (20), Salve Regina (18), and Curry (10) made up the bottom half of the ledger.

2018 CCC Women's Tennis Pre-season Coaches' Poll

1. Nichols 60 (5)
2. Endicott 59 (3)
3. Roger Williams 47
4. Gordon 42
5. Western New England 32
6. Wentworth 20
7. Salve Regina 18
8. Curry 10

Head coach Peter Torgrimson, who enters his third season leading the Seahawks, is looking forward to another fun season with the Salve Regina women's tennis team. The trio of seniors Abigail Burke (Harwich, Mass.), Anna Godshalk (Orleans, Mass.), and Darcy Carlin (Brewster, N.Y.), will look to leave their mark in their final year of college tennis. "Our team is healthy with many returning players and we welcome the addition of incoming freshman, Makenzie Sadler (Mystic, Conn.) and Lauren Harvey (Edmond, Okla.) who will look to contribute in a big way," said Torgrimson. "Salve Regina women's tennis is ready to compete and have a successful and rewarding year on the court."

Read the full release from the Commonwealth Coast Conference at http://cccathletics.com/sports/wten/2018-19/releases/2018WTENPoll

Salve Regina University
Salve Regina athletics sponsors 20 NCAA Division III varsity sports for men and women. The Seahawks compete in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC - baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's ice hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, women's track and field, women's volleyball), New England Hockey Conference (NEHC - women's ice hockey), New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association (NEISA - sailing). Beginning in 2017-18, Salve Regina will also sponsor equestrian as a varsity sport, and adds junior varsity programs for baseball and men's lacrosse.