WINTHROP, Mass. – The expectation of a competitive conference season was reflected in the 2021 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll, with Regis College finding itself at the top of the poll after the seven votes were tabulated.
Four of the seven teams received at least one first place vote, with the Pride leading the way with three first place votes and 42 total points. Simmons University and Colby-Sawyer College picked up one first place vote apiece as the Saints ended up second with 40 points, just ahead of the Chargers with 38 points.
Eastern Nazarene College, the 2019 GNAC Tournament champion, collected two first place votes and 28 points overall to land in fourth place, followed by University of Saint Joseph in fifth place with 22 points. Lesley University, an affiliate GNAC member in men's and women's tennis, finished with 14 points, and Albertus Magnus College ended up with 12 points.
In 2019, Regis finished in third place in the league at 5-2 and advanced to the semifinals of the GNAC Tournament. During the fall season, which begins next week, the Pride are expected to be led by four seniors: Kaitlyn Colby (Merrimac, Mass.), Kaeleigh FitzPatrick (South Windsor, Conn.), Katelyn Mogelnicki (Wethersfield, Conn.), and Lauren Mogelnicki (Wethersfield, Conn.).
Regis is scheduled to open conference play at Eastern Nazarene Saturday, Sept. 11, with the first GNAC home contest against Albertus Magnus the following Saturday, Sept. 18. Of note, the Pride will host Simmons during Regis Fest Saturday, Sept. 25, and will travel to face Colby-Sawyer Wednesday, Oct. 6.
The top six teams will advance to the GNAC Women's Tennis Tournament, with first round matches hosted by the third and fourth seeds Wednesday, Oct. 13. The top two seeds will receive byes into the semifinals, set to take place at the Winchester Indoor Tennis Center Saturday, Oct. 16. The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 17, with the winner receiving the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
2021 GNAC Women's Tennis Preseason Poll
1. Regis (3) - 42
2. Simmons (1) - 40
3. Colby-Sawyer (1) - 38
4. Eastern Nazarene (2) - 28
5. USJ - 22
6. Lesley - 14
7. Albertus Magnus - 12