2016–17 Northeast Conference women's basketball season

2016–17 Northeast Conference women's basketball season
2016–17 Northeast Conference women's basketball season
League	NCAA Division I
Sport	Basketball
Number of teams	10
TV partner(s)	NEC Front Row, ESPN2, MSG, FCS, Regional Sports Networks
WNBA Draft
Regular Season
First place	Robert Morris
Runners-up	Sacred Heart
Season MVP	Anna Niki Stamolamprou, RMU
NEC Tournament
Champions	Robert Morris
Finals MVP	Anna Niki Stamolamprou, RMU
Northeast Conference women's basketball seasons
	← 2015–16 2017–18 →

2016–17 Northeast Conference women's basketball standings
v t e	Conf				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
Robert Morris	14	–	4	.778	22	–	11	.667
Sacred Heart	13	–	5	.722	17	–	15	.531
Saint Francis (PA)	13	–	5	.722	17	–	15	.531
Bryant	11	–	7	.611	18	–	14	.563
Mount St. Mary's	10	–	8	.556	12	–	18	.400
Central Connecticut	9	–	9	.500	11	–	20	.355
Fairleigh Dickinson	6	–	12	.333	8	–	22	.267
St. Francis Brooklyn	6	–	12	.333	8	–	22	.267
LIU Brooklyn	5	–	13	.278	6	–	23	.207
Wagner	3	–	15	.167	4	–	25	.138

† 2017 NEC tournament winner As of March 12, 2017 Rankings from AP poll

The 2016–17 NEC women's basketball season began with practices in October 2016, followed by the start of the 2016–17 NCAA Division I women's basketball season in November. Conference play started in late December 2016 and concluded in March with the 2017 Northeast Conference women's basketball tournament.

Preseason

() first place votes

Coaches Poll^[2]
Hannah Kimmel, Sacred Heart, R-Sr., F. Shanovia Dove, LIU Brooklyn, Sr., G. Ivory Bailey, Bryant, Jr., G. Jessica Kovatch, Saint Francis (PA), So., G. Anna Niki Stamolamprou, Robert Morris, Sr., G.

Note: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season. All numbers are from time at current school.

Team	Head coach	Previous school	Seasons at school	Overall record
Bryant	Mary Burke	Bryant	25	363–357
Central Connecticut	Beryl Piper	Central Connecticut	9	124–146
Fairleigh Dickinson	Peter Cinella	American International College	9	95–175
LIU Brooklyn	Stephanie Oliver	Seton Hall	1	9–21
Mount St. Mary's	Bryan Whitten	Virginia Commonwealth	9	105–166
Robert Morris	Sal Buscaglia	Manhattan	12	205–165
Sacred Heart	Jessica Mannetti	Hofstra	3	48–44
St. Francis Brooklyn	John Thurston	Fordham	4	52–71
Saint Francis (PA)	Joe Haigh	Saint Francis (PA)	4	53–73
Wagner	Lisa Cermignano	Illinois	4	23–93

Quarterfinals Sunday, March 5 NEC Front Row			Semifinals Wednesday, March 8 NEC Front Row			Championship Sunday, March 12 ESPNU

1	Robert Morris	68

8	Fairliegh Dickinson	35
			1	Robert Morris	70

			6	Central Connecticut	62
4	Bryant	59

5	Mount St. Mary's	47
						1	Robert Morris	65
(Pairings are reseeded after the first round)
						4	Bryant	52
2	Sacred Heart	90

7	St. Francis (NY)	69
			2	Sacred Heart	68

			4	Bryant	75
3	Saint Francis (PA)	57

6	Central Connecticut	65

All games will be played at the venue of the higher seed

Seed	Region	School	1st Round	2nd Round	Sweet 16	Elite Eight	Final Four	Championship
16th	Lexington	Robert Morris	L, 47–77 vs. #1 Notre Dame – (Edmund P. Joyce Center)

School	1st Round	2nd Round	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Championship
Sacred Heart	L, 43–72 vs. St. John's – (Carnesecca Arena)

Seed	Bracket	School	1st Round	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Championship
7th	East	Saint Francis (PA)	W, 79–68 vs. Campbell – (John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center)	L, 57–67 vs. Milwaukee – (DeGol Arena)

Following the regular season, the conference selected outstanding performers based on a poll of league coaches.^[3]^[4]

Honor	Recipient
Player of the Year	Anna Niki Stamolamprou, RMU
Coach of the Year	Charlie Buscaglia, RMU
Defensive Player of the Year	Ace Harrison, SFU
Rookie of the Year	Kerstie Phills, WAG
Most Improved Player of the Year	Katherine Haines, SHU
All-NEC First Team	Ace Harrison, SFU
	Hannah Kimmel, SHU
	Jessica Kovatch, SFU
	Alex Klein, BRY
	Anna Niki Stamolamprou, RMU
All-NEC Second Team
	Alexis Carter, MSM
	Shanovia Dove, LIU
	Katherine Haines , SHU
	Aleah Epps , CCSU
	Kerstie Phills, WAG
All-NEC Third Team	Caroline Hummell, MSM
	Amina Markovic, FDU
	Katie Reese, FDU
	Megan Smith , RMU
	Adaysha Williams, SHU
All-NEC Rookie Team	Aja Boyd, LIU
	Nneka Ezeigbo, RMU
	Sydney Holloway, BRY
	Kerstie Phills, WAG
	Ashlee White, MSM