Every so often, the MAAC gets to throw a party where everyone’s invited. That’s very much the case this year, with the conference tournament heading back down to Disney World for its turn at some fun in the sun. It sure beats the chilly climes in most of the MAAC schools’ backyards, and a new champion will be crowned in Lake Buena Vista as Loyola (MD) walked away with the trophy on their way to the Patriot League.
Interlopers Monmouth will probably be among the title favorites in their first year since jumping from the MAAC’s regional rivals, the NEC, though their fellow expatriates Quinnipiac promise to have a much harder go of it in 2013. They won’t have it easy with regular contenders Marist and Fairfield looking to repeat as league champions after sharing the crown last year. Beyond them? Anybody’s guess, as many clubs try to cash in on past promise that hasn’t translated to trophies. At least everyone can say they made the postseason, which could spare a coach or two some time sweating on the hot seat after the season.
FAVORITES
Numbers were perhaps a bit deceptive for Monmouth in 2012, their last season in the NEC before moving to the MAAC for 2013 and beyond. If you looked at just the RPI, you’d see the Hawks finish out of the Top 200 for the first time in recent memory. If you looked at the league table though, you’d see Monmouth finished second behind a rampant Saint Francis (PA) side. Trophies are all that really satiates the Hawks’ fanbase, and current boss Krissy Turner brought home a double in 2007 before winning the 2009 NEC Tournament. The good news is that that thirst for success might be quenched this year in the MAAC as Monmouth looks loaded in 2013. Eight starters, including most of last year’s stars, return for a title run in the club’s new home this year, including one of the region’s best strikers at mid-major level in Dana Costello. The senior has lit up opposing defenses for twenty-one goals and eighteen assists in three seasons and is a threat for double digits in both categories this year. The Hawks aren’t one dimensional in attack though, as fellow senior Monique Plescia actually outscored Costello in the league last year with four in NEC play. Sophomore Monique Goncalves also showed potential as a rookie, while newcomers Erica Murphy and Alexis McTamney also could push for playing time early. Midfield looks like a sticking point though, as the club must replace star grafter Jennie Vartebedian and Caludia Vazquez. Returning senior Alexandra Baca’s not going to be a big offensive performer but should still be the rock the club needs, while sophomore Brianne Boyle will be looking to build on a nice rookie season. The youthful Hawks were more good than great on defense last year but still come into the new season with great upside in addition to dominant junior Alexa Freguletti in their ranks. Freguletti’s also a threat going forward, with four goals last season. Sophomore Kristen Brett was also impressive as a rookie, and the hulking 5’10″ defender should again be a top performer in her new conference home. In goal, junior Jocelyn McCoy will be aiming to fend off promising rookie Carlie Till in a positional battle that could be one of the league’s most important. Turner’s done a great job in West Long Branch and will likely have Monmouth contending for a league title right away in the MAAC. There’s talent all over the pitch, with the likes of Costello, Freguletti, and Baca returning to give Monmouth a strong core. Add in some talented recruits, and if Monmouth gets good play in goal and finds some capable midfielders to plug into the starting lineup, they should be one of the league’s top dogs right out of the gate and are a serious threat for trophies in 2013.
Marist could have hardly asked for more out of third-year head coach Katherine Lyn in her first two seasons in charge. OK, the Red Foxes probably want last year’s MAAC Tournament final defeat against Loyola (MD) back, but otherwise, the talented manager hasn’t put a foot wrong in helping turn a rather nondescript side into one of the region’s hottest mid-majors. Lyn had a hard debut to follow up after winning the double in 2011 but just about did so last year, winning a second straight league title and beating two RPI Top 100 teams in Penn and Hofstra, both by multiple goals. It’s that last defeat to Loyola (MD) that rankles though, and the Red Foxes should have no shortage of motivation going into the new year. It’s a season in which Marist has a realistic chance of winning a third straight title despite losing four starters. As you might expect, the Red Foxes return a whole lot of talent this season. Offensively, the club looks in good stead with the return of attacking duo Amanda Epstein and Rycke Guiney, who combined for fifteen goals and eight assists last year. Guiney’s not been shy about pulling the trigger from midfield but has made her shots count more often than not, netting seventeen goals and eighteen assists in three very productive years. Epstein’s eight goals may look like a downgrade from her 2011 MAAC Rookie of the Year performance, but she also missed a handful of games last year, starting just twelve. The two are as dangerous as any duo in the MAAC and should propel Marist to many a win this year. There’s additional firepower in the midfield from Samantha Panzner, team leader with six assists, and Marjana Maksuti, who added a handful of goals herself. There are a few more questions on defense, where the club must deal with the loss of defensive lynchpin Chelsea Botta who started all eighty-three games during her Marist career and who managed four goals and three assists for good measure. Also gone are Jessica Arabia and Melanie Rigo, the former having been honored as an All-MAAC Team selection her last three seasons in addition to being club captain. The club will be largely depending on returning senior Kylee McIntosh, who was a spot starter in 2011, to step up to the plate and lead the club’s defense after impressing last year. There should also be an increased role for sophomore Alysa Murphy, who was very impressive as a key reserve last year. Junior netminder Andrea Wicks doesn’t get as much attention as her teammates but should again be solid after serving as the club’s starter for much of last season. Marist will again be a threat for trophies on multiple fronts this year. Lyn’s done a tremendous job in two seasons and should have an offense that is capable of causing more than a few problems for MAAC foes this year. If she can tweak the defense a bit after some key losses, Marist could again be dancing come November.
DARK HORSES
The story of Fairfield has largely been one of success, as everyone who’s managed the Stags in their history has managed to bring back at least one major trophy. Current boss Jim O’Brien entered 2012 still looking for his first league title with the club despite two MAAC Tournament titles to his name. In that sense, it was mission accomplished, as the Stags rode a strong defense and powerful offense to a share of the league title with Marist, though they also ended up falling in the semi-finals of the MAAC Tournament against Loyola (MD). The NCAA Tournament is likely back on everyone’s mind going into 2013, but there are some big losses to overcome, with the Stags having to replace three starters from last year’s title winning club. Perhaps the biggest loss comes on defense, where the club loses the tremendously talented Allison Walsh. The 2012 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, Walsh was a pillar of strength in defense and a loss that has to be compensated for effectively if Fairfield is to again contend for a major trophy. The club does manage to return junior Megan O’Brien to the backline. O’Brien slid nicely into the starting lineup last year and has the potential to be one of the league’s best in defense, though she’ll need support from her surrounding cast. The team should be fine in goal, with junior Kathleen Early returning after capturing most of the minutes here last season. Things are a bit undecided in the attack where the club will clearly miss the services of All-Region First Team player Lauren Reilly, who led the club with six goals. Reilly’s penchant for clutch scoring, with three game winners will be dearly missed. Despite the loss of Reilly, there’s still some quality in the middle of the park, including arguably the club’s best returnee, senior Nikki Stanton. Not necessarily a threat in front of goal, Stanton served as the glue to the club’s work in the middle of the park and should again be a MAAC stalwart. Junior Erin Pettersen also impressed last season, while sophomore Emily Wieczorek looks to be in line for a real shot at starting minutes after being one of the league’s best reserves last year. The big question is where the cutting edge is going to come from. Target forward Shannon Fay has the most goals of returnees with five, while senior Carly Beyar will be hoping for more of her 2011 form where she scored four goals instead of last year’s one goal effort. Look for rookie Sydney Arestivo to get a long look in attack as well. The Stags are a well balanced team with a good coach and experience and talent returning. The losses of Reilly and Walsh hurt, but there’s enough here so that a postseason appearance is expected. If the team proves to be more than the sum of its parts, Fairfield might just contend for more silverware.
OUTSIDERS
After three seasons, some might have regarded Canisius head coach Jim Wendling as a conquering hero. After five, some might be wondering if the MAAC has figured out his Golden Griffins program that just a few years ago looked like becoming a league power. The club has been on a downward trek since 2010′s MAAC Tournament failings, culminating with last year’s eighth place finish that saw the club miss out on the postseason for a second straight season. With nine of eleven starters set to return this year, the time is clearly now for the Golden Griffins to move back up the ladder. Senior Brianna Smith will likely be shouldering a lot of the pressure, trying to live up to the heady expectations of a fifteen goal rookie year. She rebounded from a poor 2011 with eleven goals last year and will need to be similarly on-target this year for Canisius to stand a chance at the postseason this year. Traditionally explosive in front of goal, there are worries about the offense being one-dimensional given the departures of the other two players with multiple goals last year, Megan Mahoney and Brooke Bandazian. Wendling might need immediate contributions from JUCO star Cayli Carmona and maybe utility JUCO transfer Hannah Dalle to keep Smith from getting swarmed by defenses. If the offense isn’t cranking, the Golden Griffins are probably in trouble considering the club’s shaky defense historically. Goalkeeping’s been an unsettled spot for Canisius historically, and senior Megan Tock will be watching over her shoulder given a plethora of rivals here. The backline has to replace senior leader Emily Paquette, though there should still be room for improvement given much of the rest of the backline, including towering veteran Adrianna Suk, returning. On the whole, Canisius looks like a club destined for a move up the standings in 2013. They should be one of the league’s most experienced clubs and have a fine goalscorer in Smith. If she fizzles again or the defense can’t stop conceding goals by the barrel, the Golden Griffins could again disappoint. Given the above though, anything other than mid-table would have to be seen as a disappointment.
A program seemingly forever spinning its wheels at the bottom of the MAAC, Manhattan found their going no easier in 2012, as for the third straight year under Brendan Lawler, the Jaspers finished much closer to #300 in the RPI than #200. If you can call the latter a goal, it doesn’t exactly sound ambitious, but at any rate, it was right about where Lawler’s predecessor, Sean Driscoll had the club for the later years of his tenure before he resigned to take over as Fairfield’s #2. Ninth place in the league was hardly a good omen for the direction of the program come season’s end. Key to getting the Jaspers out of the nether regions of the MAAC is going to be turning some of the club’s ten one-goal losses into one-goal wins, which is going to be easier said than done of course. The sputtering offense in particular needs to improve by leaps and bounds, as the defense was decent relatively speaking. Just five players scored last year, though all do look like returning this year. The senior duo of Martine Diamond and Janie Schlauder netted four each and will have to carry the offense, though there’s little evidence either is a top gun at this level. Sophomore Emily Ude has a good deal of upside, though her scoring record wasn’t hot last year. Midfielder Aislinn McIlvenny, a Charleston Southern transfer, was the team’s best field player last year, and her presence in the center of the park will be key. Also key will be replacing Kara Davis in goal, the Jaspers keeper turning into a four-year starter despite not being the biggest netminder. Sophomore Kristen Skonieczny will likely be favored to take over with senior Maria Sanzari also challenging. The backline returns mostly intact, with sophomore Taylor Salkowski one to watch after a strong effort as a rookie, while the addition of freshman Lauren Barton could pay dividends immediately. Returning a fair number of starters and most of its better players, the time is clearly now for a move up the ladder for Manhattan. The defense will probably hold its own if the goalkeeping situation is sorted out, but there are still plenty of questions about the punchless attack. Still, if the club can’t climb at least a few places in the MAAC this year, Lawler’s long-term future at the club could begin to come into question.
Siena have crashed back to Earth a bit after three straight tremendous seasons in the MAAC between 2008-2010. 2010 in particular had been a year to remember for the Saints as the last club with a 100% record that year while also claiming a MAAC Tournament title and a Top 55 finish in the URPI. 2012 looked to be a crucial year for the Saints after 2011 had seen the club begin the year as title contenders but end it out of the postseason in a stunning turnaround. Alas, the Saints ended the season in seventh and down forty more spots in the RPI. Though Siena could have certainly gotten off worse after losing just three starters from last year’s team, they still have to deal with the loss of leading scorer Caitlin Cahalan. Cahalan was really the one saving grace of a misfiring offense last year, netting six goals and five assists for the Saints. The hope for Siena has to be that junior midfielder Brittany Pfaff can get back to the form that made her so dangerous as a rookie in 2010. That was when she netted a shocking ten goals and five assists and looked like the next great scorer for the Saints. It’s been a struggle since though, as she was scoreless in 2011 and netted just four times last year, with most coming in a brief mid-season spurt. Nobody else returning scored more than two goals, meaning the club will likely be in tough if she can’t deliver the goods, though sophomore utility player Kelly Ristoff could also make an impact if she focuses on offense. Fellow second-year player Kirby O’Keefe also showed potential as a rookie and could step up into a starting role after last year’s super sub showing. Defensively, Siena gave up about a goal and a half in the league last year which, while not close to being the worst mark in the league, still wasn’t close to the MAAC’s most stout units. There’s potential for improvement though, as the Saints should return almost all of their first choice defense from last season, though senior Lisa Valenziano does need to be replaced after having started in the middle for the club. Senior Sara Mikula and juniors Anna Grant and Danielle Christiano look most likely to start on the backline, while junior Taylor Booth will look to continue to build on her first season as a full-time starter in goal last year. The Saints return a lot more experience than they did going into last season, but it’s still hard to consider this group title challengers. The offense looks awfully one-dimensional, with Pfaff likely to be expected to carry the scoring load, which may be beyond her, talented as she may be. Defensively, the Saints should be a little better with a lot of returning experience, but they probably won’t be a dominant unit. Siena could move up a few spots from last year’s seventh place finish in the MAAC, but a challenge for honors looks unlikely.
Two seasons after one of the most promising years in Rider soccer history, it’s beginning to seem that the weight of expectation has had a serious negative effect on the Broncos. Rider supporters likely thought that they may have finally turned the corner under sixth-year coach Drayson Hounsome after a fantastic run to the postseason in 2010, but the club has since finished eighth and fifth, missing out on the postseason for the second straight year. They won’t miss for a third straight season, but that may only be because of the league going to Disney World for the conference tournament and taking every team this season. The odds were, Rider wasn’t getting there if they only took the customary four, as the Broncos lose a league high six starters from last year’s squad. The big departure is England’s Abi Cottam, who finished her career on a low note from a stats standpoint, as she saw her goalscoring total slip sharply from fourteen to four last year. Cottam also had seven assists, and despite the down year, Rider has some work to do to replace their long-time talisman. Many eyes will turn towards to reigning co-Rookie of the Year, Tara Ballay, who netted four goals and three assists in her debut season. Ballay’s capable all over the pitch though, so it’s not a guarantee she’ll be the club’s go-to option offensively. Also back is senior Jennifer Meier, the veteran forward having been the club’s best player last year by most accounts. Meier had four goals and three assists but has the potential for more as eight tallies as a sophomore shows. Rookie imports Caroline Healy from Ireland and Hollie Kelsh from England both have youth international experience, and Hounsome will be looking for a Cottam-like impact from both right away. Unless a bigger threat on offense materializes, Rider may have to depend more on defense, which could be a problem with the likes of Meghan Mohr, Kaitlin Wylie, and Angela Monaco all graduating. Towering vets Becca Kape and Carolyn Wiley do return, but combining those losses above with the team needing a new starting goalkeeper following Jenn Nichols’ graduation creates a very sticky situation. Redshirt freshman Vanessa Perdomo and rookie Bethany-May Howard will battle for the gloves, and Hounsome will have to hope his backline can offer a little protection while the rookies get their feet wet. The addition of New Zealand youth international Sorren Henderson to add a little steel into midfield could be a shrewd move in the end for the Broncs. Rider look unlikely to improve on last season’s fifth-place finish. The offense will surely miss Cottam, while the defense takes a whole lot of hits, and even if some of the promising international rookies step in and play well right away, Rider doesn’t look like they have enough in the tank to get past mid-table.
After finishing second in the league in 2011, Niagara fell victim to the dreaded rebuilding year, as the Purple Eagles tried to patch together a contender that had lost much of their key assets in the offseason to graduation. It’s often been a case of good but not great for head coach Peter Veltri, who’s overseen a program that’s usually been good enough to linger in mid-table but seldomly able to lift trophies come the end of the season, save 2006′s MAAC Tournament crown. Sixth in the league was disappointing but not unexpected due to heavy losses, but Niagara will hope for better this year despite losing four starters. Things probably looked a bit rosier a little earlier in the offseason before two of their five MAAC All-Rookie Team selections had departed, but the club still appears to have nice upside. The offense blitzed opposing teams for almost two goals a game in the league and has to be considered a strength, though no player netted more than five goals. Senior Jamie Raepple departs after three goals and four assists, while the loss of some of the club’s midfield veterans and promising Spanish rookie Maria Siegrist-Gabas, who had six assists, thins out the depth to a certain extent. All’s not lost though, as Niagara brings back some nice firepower. Junior Haillie Price as a big hit after transferring from Kent State, and the towering Canadian forward netted four goals and three assists on her way to MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year honors. She’ll have an able running buddy up top in classmate Catherine Meyer, who upped her goals total to five last year to lead the Purple Eagles in scoring. That duo and a midfield that returns multiple starters may have to compensate for a largely lifeless defense that also loses veteran Julianne Viviano and rookie star Rachel Garvey. It’ll probably be up to another youngster, Hayley Besaw, who impressed as a rookie, to help tighten things up along with veteran Danielle Kennedy, but there are still many worries here. Sophomore goalkeeper Claire Feiertag was up and down last year and will have to fend off senior Olivia Wood, once a star at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Feiertag still won All-Rookie Team honors in the MAAC last year, so the potential is definitely there. Veltri looks to have a solid foundation ahead of the 2013 season, though one wonders what could have been had he been able to keep Garvey and Siegrist-Gabas on the team. As is, Niagara should be fine in front of goal, with Price and Meyer set to shine and plenty of ancillary options throughout. Defensively though, despite the presence of Besaw, there are very real problems that should keep Niagara away from a title challenge. A move up the table should still be expected given all the young talent, but outside of a dark horse run at a MAAC Tournament title, you wouldn’t expect Niagara to challenge for honors unless the defense tightens up in a major way.
STRUGGLERS
Mike Barroqueiro’s stay in New Rochelle may have been brief, but you can’t really argue with his results, as the now associate head coach at North Carolina State had a fruitful two years with Iona. The Gaels had been a massive disappointment in 2010, keeping up a trend of unsuccessful seasons that has been the norm in New Rochelle since former Chicago Red Stars boss Emma Hayes had two winning seasons, the club’s only two in program history, in 2004 and 2005. Iona just missed out on the MAAC Tournament in his first year in charge before sneaking them in with a fourth place finish last season, though their stay in the postseason was brief. The new boss is Canadian Linda Hathorn, an assistant with the Canadian U17 team and in the past an assistant at club level with Regis, Northern Arizona, and Maine. Hathorn’s connections in Canada allowed Maine to bring in some talented Canadians over the past few years, and Iona will likely be hoping she can do more of the same here over the next few years. The immediate concern though is this year, and Iona’s fortunes could be a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the club does return nine starters, but on the other, it also loses the club’s two best players in the form of defenders Laura Jackson and Leah Taylor. Oddly enough, despite the presence of two excellent defenders like Jackson and Taylor, Iona didn’t have an especially great defense compared to their peers, as they gave up twice as many goals in the league as every other postseason club in the MAAC. You’d think that mark isn’t exactly going to get better without their top two defensive options. Taylor leaves as a four-year starter, while Jackson bounced around form London, England, to Syracuse, and finally to Iona, where she did just fine. Senior Leanne Benson and junior Sali Ayinde will try to hold down the fort, but the big addition is Australian U20 international Ashlee Faul, who might end up in midfield of the defense can live without her talents. Iona will be well settled in goal also, with veteran Trista Rivera between the pipes for her four year as starter. Iona might have issues in attack though, as this wasn’t exactly a high powered offense last season, scoring the third fewest games of all MAAC clubs in league matches. Nobody on the squad netted more than four goals, and just two players who netted multiple goals last season return. Juniors Melissa Frederick and Samantha Fiorenzo are most likely to make an offensive impact, but there’s little over the horizon, though rookie midfielder Alexa Wagoner is one to watch. Hathorn returns a squad with a good deal of experience, but this club still looks like having too many flaws to maintain last year’s strong league showing this year. Iona’s solid defense gets hit hard by graduation, while the offense to still be some way short of firing on all cylinders. Mid-table’s a possibility, but Hathorn’s side may be taking a few steps back this season after last year’s run to the postseason.
After one of the worst seasons in club history, Quinnipiac rebounded to finish with the club’s best winning percentage in over a decade. It ended up being a bit of a bittersweet season though, as the Bobcats still finished in sixth place, missing the postseason in their final NEC foray. Their 2012 performance was more akin to the narrative that had been built in Hamden over the past half decade than 2011′s dismal performance. It was a step back in the right direction for Bobcats boss Dave Clarke, who had done the double in 2001 and won the league in 2000 to put Quinnipiac’s name amongst the league’s best, but the program has since fallen back to the pack, generally finding themselves in mid-table, though the club did post back-to-back third place finishes in 2009 and 2010 to raise hopes that were crushed just one year later. Like Monmouth, Quinnipiac bolts the NEC for the greener pastures of the MAAC this season. Unlike Monmouth however, the Bobcats don’t appear to be a serious threat for honors in their new home this season. QU was in the upper half of the NEC in both league goals scored and allowed last season, but with four starters departing, the Bobcats could struggle to match that pace in the MAAC this year. In particular, the departure of the team’s best player, Shauna Edwards, threatens to disrupt the offense, after the versatile vet led the team in assists and shots last year. QU has to find some new weapons in attack as well after the loss of Kemesha Woodfine and Crystal Burns from the frontline, though neither was especially prolific last year. The only returnee with multiple goals is spot starter Christina Cesarini, and she only netted two, meaning newcomer Jessica Fontaine might get a lot of chances to shine early on. Overall though, QU’s going to need to ride its defense to wins in all likelihood. The backline performed pretty well last season, and the experienced unit returns intact for the most part. Sophomore Nicole Eriksen is a potential star of the future for QU after a strong rookie season and will be looking to keep it up in 2013. The continental duo of Irish senior Aine McKeever and Australian classmate Beck Kiting should feature again, with Kiting a threat going forward with six goals in her three years here. Goalkeeping is a worry though with four-year starter Jill Kelley gone, leaving sophomore Natalia Grodzki to battle junior Tori Graessle for the job. If QU can stabilize their situation in goal, they should have a chance of being one of the best clubs defensively in the MAAC in their first time out in their new conference. There are nothing but questions on the other side of the ball though. This club wasn’t exactly a juggernaut offensively last year and loses a lot of its starting personnel in the midfield and frontline, meaning they could again struggle in front of goal. Everyone gets a ticket to Disney World and the postseason in the MAAC this year, but given the above and a definitive lack of star power, I’d be surprised if the Bobcats were in for a long stay.
The revolving door of the hot seat at Saint Peter’s kept turning after 2012, with Brett Sarsfield departing after just two seasons. The Peahens have been a coaching graveyard for much of their history, with only current Rutgers head coach Glenn Crooks managing a tenure at .500 in Jersey City. Sarsfield had taken over for the long tenured Shawn Tarquinio, who had certainly received a lot of time and patience but had delivered little in the way of results. After a promising beginning to his tenure, Sarsfield ended up just another poor soul unable to lift the Peahens from the foot of the MAAC table, with the club scoring just six in the league while conceding an appalling thirty-one in nine MAAC games. Having played the regional assistant game seemingly one time too many, Saint Peter’s opted for a more experienced head coach after a painfully long delay. The man trying to do what many others before him have failed to do is DIII New Jersey City University head coach Rob Bielan. Bielan’s total record with the Gothic Knights, five games under .500 in seven years, isn’t exactly reassuring, but the club did win at least thirteen games from 2009-2011, showing the new boss isn’t an amateur. He’ll have to be much more than adequate here though, as one of Di’s lowest budgeted programs has eaten coaches alive since Crooks’ tenure. Obviously, goal #1 has to be shoring up one of the nation’s worst defenses. It’s not like the group can really get much worse after the debacle of 2012, but the improvement needed is so dramatic, that it’s hard to see them making the needed jump in just one season. One thing SPU may have going for it this year is that the defense looks likely to return most of its starters a year after it was racked by losses from graduation. One of the few benefits of having just a fifteen player roster, is that everyone got major minutes, and the experience certainly isn’t going to hurt, especially in the rearguard. Unfortunately, the best of those defenders and most promising, Shanay Fischer, transferred to Cornell in the offseason. The situation in goal isn’t promising either, with senior Caitlin Hoffer having graduated, leaving the only keeper on the roster as of press time a converted field player in Greta Vogel, though she did get reasonable minutes last year. If the defense doesn’t improve by leaps and bounds, SPU’s going to be in trouble, because the attack does lose some punch through graduation. Leading scorer Jamie Lisanti, a towering midfielder who was also a big threat assist-wise during her Peahen career. Another scorer, midfielder Chloe Zmolek, and her three goals also depart. If Vogel’s not in goal, she can be a threat with her size helping her to three goals, while Emily Fenice has eleven in three seasons as well. One has to hope that Saint Peter’s has finally got it right after so many lost years, but you have to question their ambition for the program after they took so long to make a coaching appointment. Bielan knows the area though, and has had some success, albeit at a much lower level. Step one might be building some depth to fill out the roster, which was stretched way too thin last year. There are plenty of steps to go to get to respectability though, and more than likely, it’ll be another season of hard knocks for the Peahens in 2013.
Projected Order of Finish
*1. Monmouth
2. Marist
3. Fairfield
4. Canisius
5. Manhattan
6. Siena
7. Rider
8. Niagara
9. Iona
10. Quinnipiac
11. Saint Peter’s
* = Projected Auto-Bid Winner
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