BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn women's basketball team was selected to finish tenth in the Northeast Conference, according to a poll taken of the league's coaches. The preseason poll was released Tuesday morning, at NEC Social Media Day at Barclays Center.

Last year's runner-up Robert Morris was picked to slip into the top spot, with seven first place votes, while Bryant earned two first place votes to come in second. Last year's regular season champions Central Connecticut earned one first place vote to come in third in the poll. Rounding out the standings were FDU, Sacred Heart, Wagner and Mount St. Mary's. Defending champions St. Francis Brooklyn were picked to finish ninth, one spot above the Blackbirds.

LIU returns three starters and nine letter winners from the 2014-15 squad. Under the direction of first year head coach Stephanie Oliver, the Blackbirds will look to improve on last year's 9-21 overall record, and an eighth place finish in the conference standings.

The Blackbirds open the 2015-16 season on the road against the University of Buffalo, Saturday, November 14 at 2 p.m.

2015-16 NEC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Robert Morris (7)
2. Bryant (2)
3. Central Connecticut (1)
4. Fairleigh Dickinson
5. Sacred Heart
6. Wagner
7. Mount St. Mary's
8. Saint Francis U
9. St. Francis Brooklyn
10. LIU Brooklyn

2015-16 NEC Women's Basketball Preseason All-NEC Team
Hannah Kimmel, SHU, F, 6-0, R-Jr., Harpursville, NY/Harpursville
Erika Livermore, FDU, C, 6-1, R-Sr., Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area
Jasmine Nwajei, WC, G, 5-8, Jr., Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum
Breanna Rucker, BRY, G, 5-11, Sr., Cincinnati, OH/Princeton
Anna Niki Stamolamprou, RMU, G, 5-9, Jr., Thessaloniki, Greece/Aristotelio College of Thessaloniki