Parting Schotts

Union 11th, RPI eighth in ECAC hockey women's preseason coaches' poll

The Union College women's hockey team was picked to finish 11th, while Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was selected to finish eighth in the ECAC Hockey women's preseason coaches' poll, which was announced Monday.

It's the first time the Dutchwomen haven't been predicted to finish last in the 12-team league. They earned 22 points. Last season, Union (2-18-2 ECACH, 4-26-4 overall) finished 11th, the first time they didn't finish last. Union begins its 10th Division I season this year.

The Engineers (6-14-2, 9-21-4), who missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2007-08, got 46 points.

Cornell, the three-time defending ECACH regular-season champions, was picked to finish first. The Big Red received nine of 12 first-place votes and earned 119 points.

Harvard was picked second. The Crimson got the other three first-place votes and earned 109 points.

Here is the poll. First-place votes are in parentheses.

1. Cornell (9) 122 points
2. Harvard (3) 112
3. St. Lawrence 100
4. Clarkson 90
5. Dartmouth 86
6. Quinnipiac 71
7. Princeton 62
8. RPI 46
9. Brown 40
10. Colgate 35
11. Union 22
12. Yale 12

The preseason all-conference team members are Clarkson goalie Erica Howe, Cornell defensemen Laura Fortino and Lauriane Rougeau and forwards Kelly Babstock (Quinnipiac), Jillian Dempsey (Harvard) and Brianne Jenner (Cornell).

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