SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The head coaches of the Northeast Women's Hockey League have unanimously selected Plattsburgh as the favorite to claim the 2019-20 NEWHL Championship.
The reigning NEWHL and NCAA Division III National champions earned the maximum amount of points (49) by snatching up all seven first-place votes.
Cortland (34), Oswego (33) and Morrisville (32) were separated by one point after being selected second, third and fourth, respectively, while Potsdam was picked fifth after collecting 23 total points.
Canton finished sixth in the preseason poll with 14 points, while Buffalo State was selected seventh with 11.
The preseason predicted order of finish was voted on by the head coaches of the NEWHL with the first-place team earning seven points and the last-place team receiving one. Coaches were permitted to vote for their own club.
The 2019-20 campaign marks the first time the NEWHL preseason poll has consisted of seven teams with the addition of Morrisville and Canton this year.
The NEWHL begins its third season on Friday, Nov. 1, when six teams kickoff their schedules with conference contests. The league opener features Plattsburgh traveling to Buffalo State at 12:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, followed by Morrisville visiting Potsdam (3 p.m.) and Canton playing at Cortland (7 p.m.).
Oswego opens the season up at Castleton in a non-league contest at 7 p.m.
This year each team will play 18 conference games – three vs. each opponent with either two games at home and one game on the road, or two road contests and one home game. The league schedule also features midweek conference contests for teams that are geographically close to each other.
2019-20 NEWHL Poll
- Plattsburgh (49 Points – 7 1st-Place Votes)
- Cortland (34)
- Oswego (33)
- Morrisville (32)
- Potsdam (23)
- Canton (14)
- Buffalo State (11)