EAST COAST CONFERENCE For Immediate Release Media Relations Monday, Auguest 24, 2015 Twitter: @ECCSports Casey Rafferty Facebook: /eccsports [email protected] www.eccsports.org YouTube: /EastCoastConference Instagram: @ECCSports NYIT Unanimous Pick as ECC Women's Tennis Favorite Central Islip, N.Y. ‐ The womenʹs tennis coaches in the East Coast Conference have selected the New York Institute of Technology Bears as an unanimous favorite to win the ECC Womenʹs Tennis Championship in 2015. NYITʹs Alessia Rossetti (Minusio, Switzerland) has also been named the Preseason Player of the Year. NYIT took all eight first place votes in the poll after the 2014‐15 season ended with the Bears celebrating their third straight ECC title. NYIT was unblemished in ECC play with a perfect 8‐0 mark during the regular season and finished with an overall record of 20‐5 to finish the year ranked No. 14 in the Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II national poll. The Bearsʹ continued their recent NCAA Division II Tournament success as well, advancing to the Round of 16 for the third straight season. NYIT has five student‐athletes retuning from the 2014‐15 squad, including the ECC Preseason Player of the Year, Alessia Rossetti. Rossetti was an ECC All‐Conference First Team selection a year ago after posting a 26‐3 singles record and a 24‐4 mark in doubles play. She was unbeatable in ECC action, going 7‐0 in singles and 7‐0 in doubles play. Rossetti was recognized nationally for her play, finishing the season as the No. 28 singles player in the ITA Division II rankings. Rossetti and former teammate, Sara Burinato, were also ranked as the No. 21 doubles duo in the nation. Queens College was the runner‐up in the poll with 56 points after receiving all eight second place votes. Like ECC rival NYIT, the Knights also advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 and finished as the No. 25 team in the Oracle/ITA rankings. University of the District of Columbia narrowly outpaced LIU Post by one point. 43‐42, to round out the top three in the ECC preseason rankings. 2015 ECC Women’s Tennis Preseason Poll School Pts. 2014‐15 Record 1. NYIT (8) 64 20‐5 (8‐0 ECC) 2. Queens 56 17‐5 (7‐1 ECC) 3. District of Columbia 43 7‐11 (6‐2 ECC) 4. LIU Post 42 7‐6 (5‐3 ECC) 5. Roberts Wesleyan 30 11‐13 (3‐4 ECC) 6. St. Thomas Aquinas 27 8‐11 (3‐5 ECC) 7. Daemen 14 8‐15 (1‐6 ECC) 8. Molloy 12 1‐12 (1‐7 ECC) ( ) – first place votes *********************************** About the ECC Founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1989 and rechristened the East Coast Conference in July 2006, the ECC was formed to enhance intercollegiate athletic competition among member institutions and to assist them in integrating athletics into their academic program in a fiscally sound way. The ECC is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, sportsmanship, teamwork, and citizenship. Its mission is to promote the total person concept in its student‐athletes, which stresses the abilities to excel in academic achievement, athletic competition, and positive character traits. East Coast Conference members include: University of Bridgeport (Bridgeport, Conn.); University of the 300 Carleton Ave. ● NYIT SAC210 ● Central Islip, NY 11722 ● (p) 631-348-3452 ● (f) 631-348-3015 District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.); Daemen College (Amherst, N.Y.); Dowling College (Oakdale, N.Y.); LIU Post (Brookville, N.Y.); Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.); Molloy College (Rockville Centre, N.Y.); New York Institute of Technology (Old Westbury, N.Y.); Queens College (Flushing, N.Y.); Roberts Wesleyan College (Rochester, N.Y.) and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.). Associate Members include: Chestnut Hill College (Philadelphia, Pa.), Cheyney University (Cheyney, Pa.), Dominican College (Orangeburg, N.Y.), Franklin Pierce University (Rindge, N.H.), Georgian Court University (Lakewood, N.J.) and Kutztown University (Kutztown, Pa.). The ECC sponsors the following championship sports: baseball; men’s and women’s basketball; men’s and women’s cross country; men’s and women’s lacrosse; softball; men’s and women’s tennis; men’s and women’s indoor track and field; men’s and women’s outdoor track and field; men’s and women’s soccer; and women’s volleyball. The East Coast Conference is a proud member of the NCAA and Division II. Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions. Division II members encourage and support diversity; value sportsmanship, fairness and equity; and place the highest priority on the overall educational excellence of the student‐athlete. ### ECCSports.org ### 300 Carleton Ave. ● NYIT SAC210 ● Central Islip, NY 11722 ● (p) 631-348-3452 ● (f) 631-348-3015 .