SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Curry College Women's Basketball team has been predicted to finish eighth in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) as determined by the results of the Preseason Coaches' Poll that was announced on Wednesday afternoon by the league office.

Five-time defending champion CCC Tournament Champion University of New England landed in the top spot, securing 94 points and seven first-place votes. Roger Williams came in at the number two spot with 88 points and one first-place vote. The final two first-place votes went to Endicott, which enters the poll in the third spot with 83 points. Western New England and Salve Regina round out the top five of the poll with 72 and 56 points, respectively.

Eastern Nazarene (48), Gordon (37), Curry (36), Nichols (24) and Wentworth (12) round out the bottom half of the poll.

Curry returns seven student-athletes from last season, highlighted by 2016-17 All-CCC First Team selection Emily Irwin (Billerica, Mass.). Irwin led the CCC in points per game (16.7), steals per game (4.4) and ranked second in the league in assists per game with 3.4 per game. The Colonel's top returners are all starters from a year ago: Irwin, Sam Bamford (North Easton, Mass.) Molly Plunkett (Quincy, Mass.) and Nicole Rice (Woburn, Mass.) and will look to these individuals for leadership. The Colonels will also welcome in seven freshmen, two of which were the MVP's of their respective high school leagues in Taylor McNair (Oxford, Conn.) and Gina Coote (Dedham, Mass.). In addition to those two, they will also look to Janee Walker (Pittsfield, Mass.), Maeve Foley (Wethersfield, Conn.), Olivia Philippi (Kingston, R.I.), and Marie Desmornes (Waltham, Mass.) to provide depth in the front and backcourt. The 2017-18 roster is completed with senior Stephanie Rizzo (East Boston, Mass.) and sophomores Erica Ulrich (Westminster, Mass.) and Caroline Kilduff (Rockland, Mass.).

The Colonels open the 2017-18 season on Wednesday, November 15 in a road contest at Framingham State at 6:00 p.m.

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