NEWTOWN, Pa. – The Wilkes women's ice hockey team was selected first in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Coaches' Preseason Poll, as announced by the conference on Wednesday. 

The Colonels earned 49 points in an unanimous decision, with seven first-place votes, after coming off another strong season where they won their second MAC championship in a row and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament. Dave Labaff returns for another promising season as he enters his fifth year as head coach. 

Arcadia University secured the second spot with 42 points after making it to the MAC finals last season where they fell to the Colonels. The Knights were 15-5-1 in the conference last season. 

The third place spot went to Lebanon Valley College, accumulating 38 points, while Hood College clinched the fourth place spot with 28 points. Alvernia University filled out the top five with 26 points. 

Stevenson University and King's College (Pa.) followed behind in sixth and seventh place with 21 points and 11 points respectively, while Neumann University finished the poll in eighth place with nine points. 

The Colonels take the ice for their first game of the season on Friday, November 6 at the Toyota Sportsplex at 6:30 p.m.