CAPE COD, Mass. -- Elmira College, the 2002 NCAA Division III National Champion, has been picked as the Women's West Ice Hockey League preseason favorite in the preseason coaches poll.

Elmira, which posted a 26-1-1 overall record and a 17-1-1 conference record in 2001-02, received 29 points, including four first-place votes to top the seven-team poll. Coach Jamie Wood's Soaring Eagles enter the season as the defending regular-season champion as well as the champion of the first ECAC West Championship.

Plattsburgh State garnered the No. 2 spot in the preseason poll with 27 points, while Utica College (22 points) placed third, Buffalo State fourth, and Neumann College fifth. Cortland State and Chatham College finished sixth and seventh respectively.

Plattsburgh, which finished second to Elmira in double overtime in the conference tournament a year ago, earned two first-place votes in earning the No. 2 spot. Coach Scott Dockett's team enters the 2002-03 season having posted a 21-4-2 overall and 16-2-2 conference mark last season.

Utica College, entering it's second season, occupies the No. 3 spot in the poll. Utica hopes to improve upon it's inaugural season record of 13-12-1 overall, 11-8-1 within the conference.

Buffalo State, under the supervision of third year head coach Bob Filighera gained 18 points for the fourth place spot. Last year Buffalo State was 7-14-1 overall and 7-12-1in ECAC West.

Neumann College, which joins Utica entering it's second season, totaled thirteen points and occupies the No. 5 slot in the poll. Cortland State, 7-16-1 overall and 5-14-1 in conference play last season totaled 12 points for sixth place in the poll. Chatham College, in seventh place, is under guidance of head coach Mike Joseph, beginning their first season of varsity competition as a member of the ECAC.