As Keene state enters into the 2023 Fall season, academics are not the only thing starting up again.
Volleyball, soccer, cross country, swimming, and field hockey are running, kicking and hitting off their seasons starting on the first weekend of September, and with that comes the Little East Conferance preseason poll.
Starting off strong, Keene state’s women’s cross country is ranked first for the 2023 season, outpacing Eastern Connecticut by 15 points. This is after Keene won the LEC conference title last year in the LEC championships. Men’s Cross country is ranked 6th in the LEC conference, after finishing 7th in the 2022 season. Both cross country teams are hosting the LEC league championship on Oct. 28.
Volleyball is predicted to finish 2nd in the preseason poll. The Owls are only two points away from Plymouth State University who had 58 points while KSC ended with 56. Last year, Keene was also ranked 2nd, but they weren able to beat Plymouth State and win the conference championship, something that has not been done in 14 years.
Field Hockey is predicted to finish 4th, only four points behind Plymouth state. Their leagues will also look a little different going into the season, as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference has made their own league in the NCAA Division 3 Championships.
Men’s and Women’s soccer are close in ranking with Men’s soccer placing 5th in the preseason poll, and Women’s soccer one behind in 6th. Men’s soccer last year tied in fifth place with Rhode Island college for the 2022 LEC finish. They are 8 points behind them in this year’s Coaches poll.
Women’s soccer placed 6th in the preseason coaches poll 14 points behind Eastern Connecticut. Last year, in the LEC season they also finished in 6th place.
Molly Lu McKellar can be contacted
at mmckellar@kscequinox.com
