NEWARK, NJ – NJIT, reigning Great West Conference East Division champion, has been selected to repeat as East Division champion in preseason voting by the conference's coaches.  The Highlanders received (15 points, including three first-place votes).

Last season, NJIT posted a Division I era-best seven wins (7-9-2 overall), a total that was one shy of the most wins at any level by a program that began play in 1996 in Division III. The 2009 Highlanders posted a 4-1-1 conference regular season record in the inaugural year for the GWC.

NJIT opens the 2010 season on Friday at 7pm hosting Monmouth in a non-conference contest at Lubetkin Field at J. Malcolm Simon Stadium.  Fans unable to make it to the game can follow all the action live on www.njithighlanders.com .

Utah Valley, defending Great West Conference champion, was selected to repeat in the West Division (15 points, three first-place votes).  The Wolverines defeated Houston Baptist, 1-0, in the 2009 championship match.

Runner-up in the East Division poll was Howard with (12 points, one first-place vote) followed by Delaware State (7 points) and South Carolina State (6 points).

Houston Baptist finished second in the West Division poll with (12 points, one first-place vote).  North Dakota and South Dakota rounded out the West Division receiving eight and five points, respectively.

The first Great West Conference contest of the season will take place on September 26 when Howard hosts NJIT at 4pm in Washington, DC.

The 2010 Great West Conference Tournament will be hosted by Houston Baptist from November 5-9.