WALTHAM, Mass. – After graduating seven players who started every game last fall, the Bentley University Falcons placed seventh in the Northeast-10 Conference Field Hockey preseason coaches' poll.

Coach Jessica Spencer's team, 9-9 a year ago when they placed sixth, collected 82 points to finish four back of their second opponent of the season, number six LIU Post. Bentley will open against number nine Franklin Pierce on its newly resurfaced home field on Thursday night, Sept. 1 (7 pm) and will also be at home on Saturday, Sept. 3 (5 pm) against the Pioneers.

Merrimack, which finished third last year before reaching the NCAA Division II finals last year, topped the voting with 141 points and ten of a possible 12 first-place votes (coaches couldn't vote for their own team).

Stonehill, the 2015 Northeast-10 postseason tournament champion, followed in second with two firsts and 130 points. Adelphi, which shared last year's regular season title with Assumption, took third with 116, and the top five also included Saint Anselm (100) and Assumption (99).

The top six teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the conference championships, which begin exactly two months after the season-opener.

Among the returning starters for the Falcons are junior defender Caitlin Derrickson (Wilmington/Central Catholic HS), senior midfielder Tori Ellis (Madison, N.J./Madison HS) and senior goalie Evelyn Schaedel (Burlington, Vt./ Burlington HS). Also back is freshman Rachel Crowley (Leicester/Notre Dame Academy), whose four goals were tied for the team lead last fall. Ellis is a two-time second-team All-Northeast-10 selection.

NORTHEAST-10 CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Merrimack – 141 Pts. (10)
2. Stonehill – 130 (2)
3. Adelphi – 116
4. Saint Anselm – 100
5. Assumption – 99
6. LIU Post – 86
7. Bentley – 82
8. American Int'l – 56
9. Franklin Pierce – 54
10. Pace – 47
11. Saint Michael's – 40
12. So. New Hampshire – 35 (1)
13. So. Connecticut – 28 

(#) – indicates first-place votes