SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The head coaches of the Northeast Women's Hockey League have selected Plattsburgh - the NEWHL inaugural champions - as the favorite to claim the 2019 NEWHL Championship – but not unanimously.

The reigning NEWHL champions grabbed four of the five first-place votes in accumulating 24 of a maximum 25 points. The Lakers of Oswego collected 21 points on one first-place vote and four second-place selections, while Buffalo State totaled 13 points on four third-place votes and one fifth place pick.

Potsdam (10) and Cortland (7) rounded out the preseason predictions. Potsdam received one third-place vote, three fourth-place selections and one fifth-place nod, while Cortland collected two fourth-place votes and three fifth-place selections.

The preseason predicted order of finish was voted on by the head coaches of the NEWHL with the first-place team getting five points and the last-place team receiving one.

The teams of the NEWHL begin their second season as a conference this weekend with a round of non-league contests before opening up conference play on Nov. 2-3 when Cortland visits Plattsburgh and Buffalo State heads to Potsdam.

This season each team will play 16 conference games – four vs. each opponent with two at home and two away. In 2019-20, Morrisville and Canton will join the NEWHL, increasing the number of conference games to 18 while reducing the number of times teams play each other to three.

2018-19 NEWL Poll

1. Plattsburgh (24 – 4 1^st-Place Votes)
2. Oswego (21 – 1 1^st-Place Vote)
3. Buffalo State (13)
4. Potsdam (10)
5. Cortland (7)