Full NE10 Release
MANSFIELD, Mass. – The University of New Haven women's basketball team was tabbed to finish second in the Southwest Division in the Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll as voted on by the league's 14 head coaches. Overall, New Haven finished just three points behind the first place choice, Adelphi, while also earning four of the 14 possible first place votes.
New Haven registered 76 points in the poll, while Adelphi earned the top spot with 77 points and six first place tallies. Following the Panthers and Chargers in the Southwest Division is Southern Connecticut who earned 56 points, while Le Moyne and Pace each garnered two first place tallies, finishing with 55 and 54 points, respectively. American International and Saint Rose round out the Southwest Division with the Yellow Jackets earning 46 points for sixth place and the Golden Knights finishing seven with 21 points.
"We are very excited to get back on the court and eager for the season to begin," said head coach Debbie Buff. "With the addition of two transfers and a pair of freshman, this squad should be fun to watch. We've worked hard throughout the preseason and the team is progressing every day. As always, our team identity is focused on multiple defenses and playing a disciplined brand of basketball. We are ecstatic about the challenges that await."
In the Northeast Division, Stonehill was a near unanimous favorite scoring 89 points and 12 of the 14 first-place votes. The remaining two first place decisions went to Bentley who finished second with 76 points. Saint Anselm (66 points) and Southern New Hampshire (49) rounded out the top-five, while Assumption (40), Franklin Pierce (39) and Saint Michael's (26) round out the entirety of the Northeast Division.
Having not seen competition since March of 2020, the Chargers return after posting back-to-back 18-win seasons under then second year head coach Buff. New Haven closed out each of those first two years under Buff with an appearance in the NE10 Championship, most recently falling to Saint Anselm in the quarterfinal round in 2020.
Overall, New Haven returns four of their top-five scorers from the 2019-20 campaign, with the lone loss coming with the graduation of Micah Wormack who led the Chargers with an average of 12.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. In addition to the leading returners, the Chargers also welcome four of their starting five from that season with graduate students Brie Pergola (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) and Luzdali Ocasio (Davenport, Fla./New Hampton) leading the Blue and Gold into the new campaign.
To complement that key returning core, the Chargers welcome a number of new faces including transfers Briana Van Cleaf (Staten Island, N.Y./Notre Dame Academy) (NYIT) and Marigona Bacaliu (Worcester, Mass./Putnam Science Academy) (Concordia) who will join five other players that will make their Charger debut after having the 2020-21 season curtailed by the CoVID-19 pandemic.
The Chargers will open up a 26-game 2021-22 campaign on Saturday, November 13 in the first of two games at the Southern Connecticut State University Conference Challenge. The Blue and Gold are slated to open up the season against a pair of CACC opponents, the Bloomfield Bears and Georgian Court Lions with the season tip-off set for 6:00 p.m. on that opening night. Also highlighting the Chargers schedule are 12 games in the friendly confines of Charger Gymnasium, including a New Year's Day matinee against NE10 foe Adelphi.
FULL PRESEASON POLL:
Northeast Division:
1. Stonehill – 89 (12)
2. Bentley – 76 (2)
3. Saint Anselm – 66
4. Southern New Hampshire – 49
5. Assumption – 40
6. Franklin Pierce – 39
7. Saint Michael's – 26
Southwest Division:
1. Adelphi – 77 (6)
2. New Haven – 76 (4)
3. Southern Connecticut – 56
4. Le Moyne – 55 (2)
5. Pace – 54 (2)
6. American International – 46
7. Saint Rose – 21
