Following their first winning season in nine years, the Newbury College women's basketball team was chosen to finish  third with 80 points in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Pre-Season Coaches Poll, announced Monday afternoon.  

After claiming the third seed with a 13-5 conference record and 16-11 overall last year, the Nighthawks look poised to contend for another conference title with six newcomers joining the six returners.  Returning for her senior season, the nation's leading rebounder center Catherine O'Connell (Quincy, Mass.) will lead a young but quick Nighthawk team in 2012-13.

Defending regular season champion, Regis College was selected for the second straight year to finish atop the conference standings receiving eight first place votes and 98 points while NECC Champion, Elms College was right behind with 86 total points and two first place votes.

2012-13 NECC Women's Basketball Coaches Poll

1. Regis - 98 (8)
2. Elms - 86 (2)
3. Newbury - 80
4. Daniel Webster - 61
5. Becker - 59
6. Mitchell - 54
7. Bay Path - 42
8. Southern Vt. - 31
9. Wheelock - 21
10. Lesley - 17