BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Two-time defending Northeast Conference champion LIU Brooklyn was tabbed as the unanimous favorite to claim the 2014 Northeast Conference women's golf title, according to a poll of the league's head coaches that was released today. The Blackbirds were awarded seven first-place votes while Saint Francis U, which earned LIU's first-place nod, took second in the annual survey.

Third-year head coach Natalie Desjardins, a former individual conference champion for LIU in 2010, looks to guide her team to a third consecutive NEC title and trip to NCAA Regionals. Desjardins will have four returning all-conference performers and all five letterwinners to work with, led by junior Cristina Felip. Felip won the NEC individual crown as a freshman and was a first-team All-NEC selection a season ago.

Last year's NEC Rookie of the Year and first team All-NEC honoree Marisol Doglioli also returns to the ranks as LIU Brooklyn's top performer from this past fall. Doglioli carded a one-under par round of 71 and tied for second individually at the Rutgers Invitational in October and last season finished sixth at the NEC Championships.

All-NEC second-teamers Brianna Maynard and Alice Boothroyd both return for their junior seasons. Maynard averaged 80.2 last season with five top-10 finishes, including fifth place at the NEC Championship. Boothroyd placed third at last year's championship with a total score of 230. Sophomore Victoria Fagan is the fifth returner and has greatly improved over the course of the offseason.

LIU Brooklyn opens the spring season on March 9-11 at the Bucknell Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev.

2014 Northeast Conference Women's Golf Preseason Poll
1. LIU Brooklyn (7)
2. Saint Francis U (1)
3. Fairleigh Dickinson 
4. Central Connecticut 
5. Robert Morris 
     Wagner
7. Sacred Heart
8.  St. Francis Brookyln
 

First-place votes in parentheses