AMHERST, N.Y. -- For the first time since Daemen University joined the East Coast Conference in 2013, the Wildcats sit atop the ECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll. The 2022 poll was announced this afternoon following a vote of the league's eight head coaches.
Daemen has never ranked higher than third in the ECC preseason poll. The Wildcats received five first place votes and garnered 52 points in the poll voting. Roberts Wesleyan, which won its seventh-straight conference championship last season, collected the other three first place votes and totaled 49 points. It marks the first time since 2012 that RWC has not been the preseason favorite.
St. Thomas Aquinas (38 points) lands in third place. Molloy (36 points) finished right behind STAC in fourth. D'Youville (14 points) comes in fifth in the poll, one point ahead of Queens (13 points) and Staten Island (13), who tied for sixth. With nine points, District of Columbia rounds out the poll.
Nine runners return for fourth-year head coach Pete Gratien from last season's team that finished second in the 2021 ECC Championships behind Roberts Wesleyan. The Wildcats achieved four first-place finishes in the 2021 season. Kassandra Nolet (Fort Erie, Ont.), who earned ECC Preseason Runner of the Year for the upcoming season, Marcy Colca (Getzville, N.Y.), Courtney Merrill (Speedway, Ind.), and Emma Cain (Lockport, N.Y.) all achieved All-ECC honors last season, and all four are back for the 2022 season.
The Wildcats open the season September 3 by traveling to Syracuse for the Frank Dillon Memorial Invitational hosted by Le MoyneCollege. Four additional regular season meets follow, including the Daemen Alumni Invitational (September 10) at Williamsville's Bassett Park. Roberts Wesleyan hosts the ECC Championships on November 5 and the NCAA Division II East Region Championships will take place on Long Island, N.Y. on November 19.
2022 ECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
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DAEMEN (5) – 52
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Roberts Wesleyan (3) – 49
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St. Thomas Aquinas – 38
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Molloy – 36
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D'Youville – 14
T6. Queens – 13
T6. Staten Island – 13
8. District of Columbia – 9
( ) denotes first place votes
Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
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