Lacrosse Picked Fifth in Preseason Northeast Conference Coaches' Poll

2/27/07 -- The Long Island University women’s lacrosse team has been tabbed to finish fifth in the 2007 Northeast Conference Championship according to a poll of the league coaches. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

LIU, which finished fifth last season and narrowly missed an NEC playoff berth, was picked to finish behind defending champion, Monmouth, which captured seven first place votes. Quinnipiac was second with the other first place vote, followed by Mount St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart.

Head coach Regan Teti enters her third season at the helm of the Blackbirds and will look to get the team into the NEC playoffs for the first time. LIU will be led by seniors Amy Rizzo (Jackson, N.J.) and Jackie McCormick (Liverpool, N.Y.). Rizzo was an all-conference pick for the third time last year and ranked 12th nationally with 3.18 goals per game. McCormick started all 17 games and ranked fourth in the NEC with 63 groundballs.

LIU was picked to finish ahead of Wagner and Central Connecticut State, which collected the only other first place vote. Robert Morris and Saint Francis (Pa.) were picked eighth and ninth, respectively, to round out the poll.

The Blackbirds will open the season on Tuesday, March 6, with a home game against Fairfield at 4:00 p.m.