Purple Knights Slotted Number Seven In 2016 ECC Women's Lacrosse Race

Central Islip, N.Y.-The University of Bridgeport women's lacrosse team, under the direction of new head coach, Allyson Howard, are predicted to finish seventh in this season's East Conference race in the 2016 East Coast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll released on Tuesday afternoon.

Last season, the UB women's lacrosse team finished with a single-season program best overall record of 12-4, and the Purple Knights went 4-4 in conference action.

The Purple Knights are slated to begin their 2016 campaign at Pace University on Thursday, March 5, and the team will open its home and East Coast Conference two days later at Knights Field hosting Roberts Wesleyan in a 12 noon contest.

The complete 2016 East Coast Conference Women's Lacrosse Preseason Release is listed below:

LIU Post, winners of the 2015 East Coast Conference Women's Lacrosse Championship, begin the season as the league's coaches' pick to win the conference championship once again in 2016. LIU Post senior attacker, Emily Delaney (Long Valley, N.J.)  and Mercy junior defender, Melissa DellaRocca (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) were also honored with the conference's preseason honors with Delaney earning Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and DellaRocca named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

LIU Post is the resounding favorite entering the 2016 season, earning eight of nine first place votes for a poll-topping 80 points. The Pioneers won their first-ever ECC Women's Lacrosse Championship in 2015 and their third conference title since 2010 (prior to the 2014 season regular season standings were used to determine the conference champion). LIU Post, who finished last season with a 15-4 overall record, which included a perfect 8-0 mark in ECC play, also begins the 2016 campaign ranked No. 6 in the country in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II Preseason Poll.

Dowling, who was denied a repeat as ECC Champions after falling in the final of the ECC Women's Lacrosse Championship to LIU Post a year ago, earned the final first place vote to come in second in the poll with 66 points. The Golden Lions also are ranked in the IWLCA Preseason Poll, coming in at No. 17. Molloy, with 60 points, rounds out the top three. 

Delaney is coming off a breakout junior season for the Pioneers. The attacker led the Pioneers and was second in the ECC with 87 points. She also topped the conference leader board and ranked seventh nationally with 53 assists. Her assist per game total of 2.79 was good enough for fifth in Division II, as well. Her outstanding season led to numerous postseason accolades including a spot on the ECC All-Conference and IWLCA All-Region First Team and the IWLCA All-America Second Team.

In her sophomore season, DellaRocca anchored the Mavericks defense by ranking fourth in the conference with 20 caused turnovers. She also scooped up 23 ground balls and 16 draw controls on the season. DellaRocca's strong 2015 season earned her a spot as one of five ECC First Team All-Conference defenders.

2016 ECC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll

( ) - first place votes                     

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Emily Delaney, Sr., A, LIU Post
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Melissa DellaRocca, Jr., D, Mercy