The Central Connecticut women's soccer team was picked second in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released on Wednesday. The Blue Devils won the 2009 regular season NEC title and finished the season 12-7-2 overall and 9-0-1 in conference play. Monmouth, the tournament champ a year ago, was picked to win the title. They received seven first place votes while the Blue Devils garnered four.

FULL NEC RELEASE

Head Coach Mick D'Arcy, who was tabbed NEC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career in 2009, will look to rally his troops for another run at the title and a ninth straight trip to the NEC Tournament.

First team All-NEC midfielder Beth Lloyd will return to direct the offense. In 2009, the senior ranked in the top-five in the conference in each of the three major offensive categories. She tacked on 11 goals (second in the NEC) and added five assists (fifth) for 27 points (fourth). Lloyd will be flanked in the midfield by classmate Clio Tregear, who was named to the NEC All-Tournament team a year ago. Brittany Jackson, a junior forward, earned second team All-NEC accolades in 2009. Treger (six goals, five assists) and Jackson (five goals, seven assists) each finished the year with 17 points on a high-scoring Blue Devil unit that led the NEC in goals with 2.24 per game.

Central opens the 2010 season at home next Thursday night, Aug. 26, at 5 p.m. in New Britain hosting Army. Due to the ongoing construction of the outdoor facilities at CCSU, all home women's soccer games will played on the turf at Arute Field. Admission this season is free to all soccer home games.

FULL CCSU WOMEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE

2010 CCSU WOMEN'S SOCCER ROSTER