Keene State Preseason Pick In Field Hockey 

GORHAM, Maine  --  Keene State College is the clear preseason favorite in 
the 2000 Little East Conference field hockey coaches preseason poll.
	
The Owls, two time defending regular season and tournament champions, 
received 8.5 first place votes and a total of 127 points.  Southern Maine edged 
Plymouth State for second place. The Huskies garnered 1.5 first place votes and 
102 points. The Panthers snared one first place vote and 98 points.
 
The winner of the Little East conference tournament will be awarded an 
automatic berth in the NCAA Division III national tournament for the first time 
in the conference's history.
 
Five Little East schools (Eastern Connecticut State University, Keene State 
College, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Plymouth State College and the 
University of Southern Maine) and six Massachusetts State College Athletic 
Conference schools (Bridgewater State College, Fitchburg State College, 
Framingham State College, Salem State College, Westfield State College and 
Worcester State College) will compete under the Little East banner for the 
coveted spot in the national tournament. The two conferences combined forces 
because neither had the required seven or more field hockey teams to secure an 
automatic NCAA bid.
	
Westfield State, 1999 MASCAC co-champion, notched 79 points for fourth 
place. Fitchburg State grabbed 72 points for fifth. In a tight three-way battle 
for sixth, UMass Dartmouth bested the other 1999 MASCAC co-champion, Salem 
State, and Worcester State. The Corsairs received 60 points (sixth), the Vikings 
58 points (seventh), and the Lancers 55 points (eighth). Bridgewater State, 
Eastern Connecticut, and Framingham State round out the poll.
	
Seven of the eleven conference teams will qualify for the LEC tournament. 
Number two will host number seven, number three will host number six and number 
four will host number five in the quarterfinal round on October 24. The regular 
season champion will then host the semifinals on October 27 and the championship 
game on October 28.


            2000 Little East Conference Preseason Field Hockey Poll

		1)   Keene State         (8.5)    127
		2)   Southern Maine      (1.5)    102
		3)   Plymouth State       (1)      98
		4)   Westfield State               79
		5)   Fitchburg State               72
		6)   UMass Dartmouth               60
		7)   Salem State                   58
		8)   Worcester State               55
		9)   Bridgewater State             34
		10)  Eastern Connecticut           31
		11)  Framingham State              21
		  (first place votes in parentheses)