PITTSBURGH - Duquesne was picked to finish fourth in the Northeast Conference preseason coaches poll released today. The Dukes, who open their fourth season in program history this weekend at the Bud Whitman Memorial in Sinking Spring, Pa., received one first place vote in the poll.

Duquesne, which is ranked No. 20 in the National Tenpin Coaches Association Preseason Top 25, returns all but one bowler from last year's 60-45 team.

"There are no real surprises in the poll," said head coach Jody Fetterhoff. "It is pretty much how the teams shook out after last year's Conference Championship. All four teams at the top return most - if not all - of their starters from last year, so it's going to be a battle all season long for those three automatic spots into the championship bracket.

"We obviously, don't want to have to bowl in the play-in match again. We had a lot of close matches last year, and I expect that again, so our focus is to make sure we can close out those matches to ensure we get one of those top three seeds. This is the most talented team we've ever had, so we are excited to get out there and compete this weekend at the Bud Whitman Invitational."

Megan Cook, Lauren Mayberry and Elizabeth Petkac compose the first four-year senior class in program history. Two-time All-American Olivia Farwell, Allison Hresko and Sarah Kirkpatrick comprise the junior class. Jessica Cadez, a 2018-19 Northeast Conference All-Rookie Team member, and Jessica Sacks , a one time Rookie of the Week last season, are the returning sophomores. They are joined by talented freshmen Crystal Elliott and Kiearra Saldi.

The Bud Whitman is the first of 10 regular-season tournaments for the Dukes. The 2019-20 schedule includes three NEC matches.

In all, six of the seven members of the NEC are in the NTCA Preseason Poll, while the seventh, Caldwell, was one of two schools also receiving points.

Northeast Conference Preseason Poll
1.  Sacred Heart (5)
2.  Mount St. Mary's (1)
3.  Fairleigh Dickinson
4.  DUQUESNE (1)
5.  Saint Francis U
6.  Long Island
7.  St. Francis Brooklyn

NEC Schools in the 2019-20 NTCA Preseason Poll
#9 - Fairleigh Dickinson
#11 - Sacred Heart
#16 - Saint Francis U
#20 - DUQUESNE
#21 - Mount St. Mary's
#24 - Long Island