MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College women's basketball team is projected to finish seventh in the Northeast-10 Conference, according to Friday's reveal of the league's Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Hawks check in as the No. 7 team in the annual poll, earning 81 points after compiling a 15-13 overall record last year and winning 10 of its 19 games in conference play. Bentley, the reigning NE10 postseason champions, earned 139 points and nine of a possible 12 first-place votes.

Most recently, the Hawks defeated American International in the First Round of the NE10 postseason in February 2022 before falling at Le Moyne by a narrow 64-60 margin in the Quarterfinals round. Saint Anselm was ranked 10th in the final iteration of the official NCAA Division II regional rankings in 2022.

The owner of 75 career wins at Saint Anselm and the program's first East Region Championship in 2018-19, Head Coach Corey Boilard enters his sixth year on the Hilltop and has mentored each of the league's last two NE10 Players of the Year (Shannon Ryan '20, Peyton Steinman '22).

Returning for Saint Anselm is junior Gabby Turco (Wildwood, N.J.), the NE10 Rookie of the Year in 2021-22 and a Third Team All-Conference selection for the Hawks. Averaging 15.7 points per game, Turco knocked down 48 three-point baskets and contributed with 4.4 rebounds per game. Scoring 439 points on the season, Turco's stellar season was the second-best by a rookie in team history.

Sophomore Melanie Hoyt (Stamford, N.Y.) begins her second season on the Hilltop, recording 6.6 points and 4.0 rebounds for the Hawks in her freshman campaign. In total, Saint Anselm will see 10 student-athletes from last year's roster return for the 2022-23 campaign.

Saint Anselm opens its upcoming season with four consecutive home games, including bouts with Queen City-rival Southern New Hampshire, Dominican (N.Y.), Bentley and Adelphi. The game versus the Penmen is the season-opening game for both programs and will be played Friday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m.