Simmons Tops GNAC Women’s Tennis Pre-Season Poll

BOSTON, Mass. – With four consecutive GNAC women’s tennis championships to its name, Simmons College was the overwhelming favorite in the 2012 Pre-Season poll, recording 80 out of a possible 81 points with eight first place votes. Emerson College, who fell to the Sharks in the 2011 GNAC title match, was second in the poll with 70 points and one first place vote while Emmanuel College placed third in the poll with 66 points.

The Sharks will enter the season as the heavy favorite to capture an unprecedented fifth consecutive GNAC title. Last season, Simmons posted a perfect 9-0 mark in conference play to go along with 15 total wins. With not one senior on the 2011 roster, Simmons expects to return all of its key players from last season including GNAC First Team selections Margaret Teague, Allison Bodek and Nicole Eskenazi. Eskenazi also took home GNAC Rookie of the Year honors.

Emerson also returns several veteran players and will vie for a repeat appearance in the conference finals. Led by the reigning GNAC player of the year, junior Lacey Russell, the Lions should have strong play throughout its lineup as they also lose no members to graduation from the 2011 squad. Junior Savannah Mosser also returns to the lineup after being named to the GNAC First Team a year ago. Russell and Mosser were also named the league’s top doubles pair.

Emmanuel lands third in the poll after a strong 2011 that saw the Saints post a 13-3 overall record while landing three players on the All-Conference teams. Sophomore Alex Hadlock will lead the way after being tabbed a First Team All-Conference selection as a rookie. The Saints will look to senior Jenna Reid for leadership after her Second Team All-Conference selection last season.

Johnson & Wales and Suffolk were neck and neck for the fourth and fifth spots in the poll as the Wildcats finished just ahead of the Rams with 51 points while Suffolk tallied 48 points. With 33 points, Mount Ida College was sixth in the poll followed by the University of Saint Joseph (CT) with 24 points who finished one point ahead of Anna Maria College who snagged the eighth spot with 23 points. Rounding out the poll was Albertus Magnus with 12 points.

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III conference made up of 13 institutions with nine associate members. In 2012-13, the GNAC will sponsor championships in 17 sports for men and women. The GNAC also enjoys outstanding professional partnerships with Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Division, Doubletree Hotels, Fenway Printers, New Balance, Reading Trophy and Presto Sports.