DUDLEY -- The Nichols College women's soccer squad has been selected to finish seventh in the 2012 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Preseason Poll, which was conducted among the league's head coaches.

Nichols, which made its fourth consecutive postseason appearance in 2011 following a 6-8-2 (2-5-2 CCC) regular season, returns 14 student-athletes from a year ago, including senior goalkeeper Maureen Lynch (Holbrook) as well as a trio of backs, junior Shelby Aminti (Pepperell junior Julie Monroe (Whitman) and graduate student Kimberly Cummings (Woodbridge, Va.).

Lynch, who spent every minute of the 2012 campaign in net for the Bison, ranked in the top five in saves (third, 66), saves per game (third, 7.33), save percentage (fourth, .857) and shutouts (fourth, three) during conference play. In addition to aiding Lynch post a 1.45 goals against average and collect six shutouts on the year, Aminti, Monroe and Cummings each started all 16 matches and combined to account for a goal and three helpers. Sophomore Alyssa Tosti (Douglas) paces the returning offense with two goals and a pair of assists last season.

Overall, Endicott was selected as the preseason favorite with 91 points and four first-place votes. The 2011 regular season champion University of New England collected 86 points and one first-place vote followed by the 2011 tournament champion Roger Williams with 83 points and four first-place nods. Salve Regina claimed the final first-place vote and

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78 points. Gordon rounded out the top five with 59 points. Sixth place through eighth place were separated by four points as Eastern Nazarene picked up 39 points, followed by Nichols (37) and Western New England (35). Curry and Wentworth shored up the voting with 21 points apiece.