Central Islip, N.Y. – After one of the
best seasons in program history in 2011, the University of
Bridgeport takes home the top in the 2012 East Coast Conference
Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll as voted on by the
conference’s coaches. Junior midfielder Allison Sloper
(Williston Park, N.Y.) from Molloy has been tabbed the Preseason
Offensive Player of the Year and Bridgeport’s junior
goalkeeper Julia Hansson (Tocksfors, Sweden) was voted the
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
With 18 players returning to a team that spent six weeks ranked
No. 1 in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of
America, Bridgeport grabbed five first place votes to finish with
74 points and the top spot in the ECC preseason rankings. The
Purple Knights, who finished with an unbeaten 16-0-2 record in
2011, look to make their sixth straight appearance in the NCAA
Tournament. Bridgeport also has already been recognized for the
2012 season, starting the year No. 12 in the NSCAA’s
Preseason Top 25 poll.
After capturing their first ever ECC title last season, Dowling
College had one first place vote to finish with 68 points and the
second spot in the poll. LIU Post came in four points behind
Dowling at 64, while also receiving a first place vote to finish in
third. Queens and Mercy also received first place votes, with one
apiece.
Sloper earns the top offensive honor after a 2011 season where she
earned a First Team spot on the ECC All-Conference and Daktronics
All-Region lists. She was also a NSCAA Third Team All-Region
selection after scoring 12 goals and dished off six assists for 30
points for Molloy.
Hansson is awarded the Defensive Player of the Year honor after
being named the ECC’s Goalkeeper of the Year in 2011.
Hansson’s honors did not end there. She was also named to the
NSCAA and Daktronics First Team All-East Region squad, and later
earned the highest honor of First Team All-America by Daktronics.
In 2011, Hansson put together a 16-0-2 record in net for the Purple
Knights, with a 0.27 goals against average, .955 save percentage,
106 saves, and 13 shutouts. Her save percentage and goals against
average led all of Division II.
2012 ECC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
| School | Points | 2011 Record |
| 1. Bridgeport (5) | 74 | 16-0-2 |
| 2. Dowling (1) | 68 | 13-5-3 |
| 3. LIU Post (1) | 64 | 9-5-2 |
| 4. Molloy | 53 | 9-9-1 |
| 5. Queens (1) | 44 | 7-7-1 |
| 6. Mercy (1) | 34 | 3-13 |
| 7. Roberts Wesleyan | 31 | 10-10-1 |
| 8. NYIT | 24 | 7-10 |
| 9. St. Thomas Aquinas | 13 | 2-11-2 |
( ) - first place votes
