BROOKVILLE, N.Y. — The LIU women's cross country team boasted the NEC individual champion a year ago, when then-sophomore Ainhoa Brea finished with a 5K time of 17:31.4.

As this season's opener on Sept. 2 at Stony Brook creeps closer, the expectations similarly are high for the Sharks.

In fact, LIU received one first-place vote and was picked third among the nine teams in the NEC preseason coaches poll released Tuesday.

Central Connecticut State received four first-place votes and was picked first, followed by Stonehill (three first-place votes), then LIU, Merrimack, Wagner, Saint Francis U, Sacred Heart, and FDU and league newcomer Le Moyne tied for the final spot.

"The women are returning four of our top five from last year, and a lot of them had some of their best performances at the end of last year," LIU coach Chris Sauer said. "The NEC has a very strong top three teams that are all going through some transitions this year. I think we have a great group that can make an impact this fall."