Women's Soccer Tabbed as Favorite in Preseason NEC Poll
The Blue Devils earned five first-place votes to claim the top spot in the league's coaches poll.
Central Connecticut women's soccer was voted as the preseason favorite in the Northeast Conference's preseason coaches poll announced on Tuesday. The Blue Devils claimed five first-place votes as they prepare for the season-opener on August 17.
The Blue Devils went 7-0-2 in conference play to win the regular season crown and posted a 9-6-2 overall record.
Head coach Mick D'Arcy has won 234 games in his 23 seasons in charge at CCSU. He has guided Central to 10 NEC championships, while also recording a pair of wins in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils return a pair of All-Northeast Conference Second Team selections in Aoife Horgan and Caitlin Murphy, while also returning Kiley Yepes, an All-Rookie Team selection. Murphy made 66 saves and posted seven shutouts a season ago, while Horgan ranked third on the team in scoring with 12 points on four goals and four assists. Yepes started all 17 games as a rookie and scored a goal and an assist.
Sacred Heart collected four first-place votes and was picked second, followed by the 2023 NEC champion FDU, which had two first-place votes. Merrimack, Saint Francis U and Wagner rounded out the top six spots in the poll.
The league's top six teams will qualify for the 2023 NEC Tournament with the higher seeded team hosting each game throughout. The quarterfinals will be held on Oct. 29, with the semifinals on Nov. 2 and championship on Nov. 5. CCSU's season opens at Siena on Thursday, August 17.
