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Newark, NJ — For the first time in more than three decades, the Northeast Conference women's basketball trophy is predicted to find a home on Staten Island.   
  
Selected by the league's head coaches as the 2022-23 NEC preseason favorite, Wagner has its sights set on claiming the NEC title, a feat that has only occurred just one other time, back in 1989. It marked the first time in 30-plus years — and quite possibly the first time in program history — that the Seahawks earned No. 1 preseason status.
 
The Seahawks, who came short of reaching the NEC Championship game a year ago after falling in the semifinals, earned five first-place votes to secure the moniker of "preseason favorite."

Although not tabbed to win it all, FDU is coming off a program-record 15 victories in conference play and is expected to be in the mix under fourth-year head coach Angelika Szumilo, the reigning NEC Brenda Reilly Coach of the Year. The defending NEC regular-season champions pulled in three top votes to take second in the poll. 

2022-23 NEC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll        1. Wagner (6)    2. FDU (2)    3. St. Francis Brooklyn U    4. Saint Francis U (1)    5. Merrimack    6. Sacred Heart    7. LIU    8. CCSU    9. Stonehill    First place votes in parentheses

 
St. Francis Brooklyn earned the last remaining first place vote and finished third. The Terriers, who were in contention for the regular season crown until the final week of play, still made a splash by posting its best-ever finish in the conference standings — and a second-place showing — with a 13-5 league record.
 
Saint Francis U, which has won an unprecedented 12 conference crowns, aims to get back into the mix after a three-year title drought. The Red Flash, who received one first place nod, occupied fourth place in the poll after finishing sixth in the 2021-22 standings with an 8-10 mark. 

Merrimack earned fifth place status while Sacred Heart, which has qualified for the NEC Tournament in every season except during the 2020-21 campaign that only included the top four teams, was slotted sixth.

LIU (seventh), Central Connecticut (eighth) and NEC newcomer Stonehill (ninth) rounded out the preseason rankings.

The NEC unveiled the results of the poll, along with the names of five Preseason All-Conference selections, live on ESPN3 and NEC Front Row during the #NECatthePru "Social" Media Day at the Prudential Center on Wednesday. 

The 2022-23 conference schedule will follow a double round-robin format, as each team will contest 16 league games beginning on Monday, January 2. Returning to an eight-team playoff format, the 2023 NEC Women's Basketball Championship will take place on March 6, 9 & 12 at campus sites. 

With the NEC's new policy in place, which permits reclassifying institutions to participate in the NEC postseason championships in years three and four of the four-year reclassification process, Merrimack becomes postseason eligible this season and Stonehill in 2024-25. 

If a reclassifying institution wins the NEC Tournament championship, the tournament runner-up will advance to the NCAA Tournament as the NEC's automatic qualifier.

Wagner's first-place projection shouldn't be too surprising. The Seahawks have been trending upwards over the past few seasons, combining for a 30-18 overall record over the past two years while posting double-digit win totals in NEC play in each of those campaigns with a 12-4 mark in 2020-21 and a 10-8 record in 2021-22.

The Seahawks have four starters and seven letterwinners returning to the hardwood in 2022-23. Graduate student Zhaneia Thybulle, a guard, highlights a veteran-heavy group after a senior campaign that saw her average 10.1 points, 5.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The third team All-NEC selection and Preseason All-NEC pick dished out 5-or-more dimes 16 times last season and had a pair of 11-assist outings to add to her resumé.
  
Wagner
Predicted NEC Finish: 1st
2021-22 Overall Record: 17-12
2021-22 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 10-8/4th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/3
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1

Players to Watch:
Alex Cowan (R-Sr, G, 5'7"): 9.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.0 spg, 35.4 FG%, 78.7 FT%, 35.2 3PFG%, 32 3PFG
Zhaneia Thybulle (Gr, G, 5'7"): 10.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.1 apg, 1.4 spg, 40.6 FG%

Three Sentence Preview:
Wagner has been knocking on the doorstep of the NEC Championship game the past few seasons, and with four starters coming back to the hardwood for second-year head coach Terrell Coburn, the Seahawks are in prime position to live up to their preseason expectations. The returning starting core — which includes the likes of All-NEC Preseason team member Zhaneia Thybulle (10.1 ppg), Alex Cowan (9.4 ppg), Kem Nwabudu (8.5 ppg) and Drayah Heyward (5.4 ppg) — accounted for 54 percent of Wagner's offense and last season. Nabbing 20.0 minutes per game and doing damage (1.5 3-pt FG/game) from three-point land off the bench as a freshman on a veteran-heavy squad, guard Lina Loceniece could bolster the starting five and make Wagner's starting backcourt one of the most dangerous in the league.

Fairleigh Dickinson
Predicted NEC Finish: 2nd
2021-22 Overall Record: 19-12
2021-22 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 15-3/1st
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 11/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3

Players to Watch:
Dahomée Forgues (Sr, G, 5'8"): 7.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 37.2 FG%, 28 3PFG, 73.1 FT%
Chloe Wilson (Jr, F, 5'10"): 12.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 42.7 FG%, 72.6 FT%

Three Sentence Preview:
FDU may have lost a star to graduation in NEC Player of the Year Madison Stanley, but the 2021-22 NEC regular season champs and head coach Angelika Szumilo still have the foundation to continue to build on its recent trend of dominance in the league with 11 players returning. Preseason All-NEC selection Chloe Wilson, who made a name for herself after becoming the lone underclassman to earn All-NEC status last year, has the ability to score in bundles and take over a game, much like her former teammate Stanley did. Senior guard Dahonmée Forgues stretched out the Knights' offense, knocking down 28 threes in her debut season.

St. Francis Brooklyn
Predicted NEC Finish: 3rd
2020-21 Overall Record: 17-10
2020-21 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 13-5/2nd
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3

Players to Watch:
Alyssa Fisher (Sr, G, 5'7"): 8.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.5 spg, 40.5 FG%, 31.4 3PFG%, 33 3PFG, 81.1 FT%
Jaila Lee (So, G, 5'10"): 6.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 36.8 FG%, 77.8 FT%

Three Sentence Preview:
Fifth-year head coach Linda Cimino and her Terriers are looking to build off of one of their best seasons in program history. St. Francis Brooklyn boasted the league's top offense last season, scoring 64.7 points per game, including 66.1 points against league opponents. Senior guard Alyssa Fisher, who averaged 8.5 points per game but ended the campaign strong by putting up 12.9 points over the final eight contests, will be heavily relied on to continue that offensive trend.

Saint Francis U
Predicted NEC Finish: 4th
2020-21 Overall Record: 8-22
2020-21 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 8-10/6th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3

Players to Watch:
Kaitlyn Maxwell (Jr., G, 5'7"): 8.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 43.6 FG%, 40.5 3PFG%, 34 3PFG, 74.2 FT%
Sam Miller (Sr., F, 6'1"): 6.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 45.3 FG%

Three Sentence Preview:
In a youthful roster that features six rookies, head coach Keila Whittington will lean on a pair of returning veteran starters in junior guard Kaitlyn Maxwell and senior forward Sam Miller to steer the Red Flash back to the top part of the NEC standings. Maxwell emerged as one of the league's top threats from three-point land in 2021-22, knocking down 34 shots — 25 more than her previous season — behind a .405 clip. With the graduation of Jada Dapaa — the NEC's top rebounder who was crowned both the NEC Defensive Player of the Year and the NEC Most Improved Player — Miller, who stands at 6-foot-1, should play an even bigger role in the paint this season

Merrimack
Predicted NEC Finish: 5th
2021-22 Overall Record: 9-17
2021-22 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 7-11/7th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 11/4
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3

Players to Watch:
Teneisia Brown (Jr, F, 6'2"): 10.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 0.8 spg, 47.8 FG%
Jayme DeCesare (Sr, G, 5'5"): 7.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.1 spg, 38.3 FG%, 36.9 3PFG%, 31 3PFG, 75.0 FT%

Three Sentence Preview:
A core of 11 players make their return to the court in 2022-23 for Merrimack head coach Kelly Morrone, who enters her third season at the helm. Junior forward Teneisia Brown, the league's top returning rebounder, and senior guard Jayme DeCesare have the experience needed to power the Warriors deep into the postseason during their first eligible season. A preseason All-NEC pick, Brown averaged double figures in scoring (10.8 ppg) and was efficient around the rim with a 47.8 field goal percentage, while DeCesare had a knack for knocking down threes, converting on 36.9 percent of her attempts.

Sacred Heart
Predicted NEC Finish: 6th
2021-22 Overall Record: 8-17
2021-22 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 6-12/Tie-8th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3

Players to Watch:
Carly Stroemel (Sr, F/C, 6'2"): 6.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.8 bpg, 45.6 FG%
Olivia Tucker (Sr, G, 5'8"): 9.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 34.8 FG%, 38.2 3PFG%, 42 3PFG

Three Sentence Preview:
Entering her 10th season at the helm, head coach Jessica Mannetti and her Pioneers look to make some noise in 2022-23 with a roster that features 10 returning players. Back in the fold is senior forward/center Carly Stroemel, who shot an impressive 45.6 percent from the field and averaged 6.7 points per game. Senior guard Olivia Tucker had a hot hand from downtown a year ago, averaging 2.1 threes per contest after posting the top shooting percentage in conference play at 43.5 percent.

LIU
Predicted NEC Finish: 7th
2021-22 Overall Record: 9-18
2021-22 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 9-9/5th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 2/13
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4

Players to Watch:
Iris Mbulito (Gr, G, 6'0"): 2.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 30.6 FG% (stats from 2020-21 season at Arizona State)
Emaia O'Brien (So, G, 5'1"): 9.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.4 apg, 37.6 FG%, 36.0 3PFG%, 45 3PFG

Three Sentence Preview:
LIU will have a completely different look in 2022-23 with 14 brand-new players joining the roster for Rene Haynes this upcoming season. Sophomore All-NEC Preseason Team member Emaia O'Brien quickly turned heads as a freshman as the unanimous pick for 2021-22 NEC Rookie of the Year, and she will look to lead the Sharks, who are swarming for their first league title since 2001. Iris Mbulito, a 6-foot-0 graduate student who spent three seasons at Arizona State, will add experience to the LIU backcourt after she averaged 2.2 assists in her most recent year with the Sun Devils.

Central Connecticut
Predicted NEC Finish: 8th
2021-22 Overall Record: 6-20
2021-22 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 5-13/10th
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3

Players to Watch:
Dejah Jenkins (Jr, G, 5'7"): 8.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.9 spg, 34.4 FG%, 37.8 3PFG%, 37 3PFG
Forever Toppin (Sr, G, 5'8"): 7.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.9 spg, 30.8 FG%

Three Sentence Preview:
Junior Dejah Jenkins and senior Forever Toppin comprise a dynamic duo in Central Connecticut's backcourt that can become one of the most dangerous in the NEC for head coach Kerri Reaves this season. An All-NEC Preseason Team honoree, Toppin did it all for the Blue Devils last season, putting up steady numbers across the board with 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game. In addition to Jenkins (8.2 ppg), who drilled 37 triples on 37.8 percent shooting, sophomore Belle Lanpher (9.7 ppg) emerged as a key scorer for the Blue Devils, knocking down 13 triples and averaging 12.4 points over the final seven non-conference games of the season (2.4 per contest).

Stonehill
Predicted NEC Finish: 9th
2021-22 Overall Record: 16-9*
2021-22 NEC Record/NEC Finish: 12-7/3rd* (NE 10 - Northeast Division)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
* - Division II member

Players to Watch:
Emily Bramanti (Gr, F, 5'11"): 13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.5 bpg, 38.2 FG%, 81.9 FT%
Mia Kelly (Sr, G, 5'6"): 8.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, 37.9 FG%, 72.7 FT%

Three Sentence Preview:
The NEC welcomes a Stonehill squad that has enjoyed unprecedented success under 22nd-year head coach Trisha Brown. Under her watch, the Skyhawks made 13 NCAA Division II tournament appearances. Highlighting the returners is graduate forward Emily Bramanti, who put up incredible all-around numbers with 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 blocks per contest in 2021-22.

About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 42nd season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Boston (#9), Hartford/New Haven (#33) and Providence (#53). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 24 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 15 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.