Nichols (18-4, 7-1 TCCC in 2009) received six of the nine first-place votes in the 2010 TCCC preseason poll. University of New England received the three remaining first-place votes and was picked to finish second. Endicott College and New England College were selected third and fourth, respectively.

Cowles, a four-year field hockey player for the Nor'easters, was one of four TCCC nominees. She will move on to the next phase of the process when 10 student-athletes from each division of the NCAA will be selected. From there, the top three in each division will be identified. The top 10 honorees for each division and the nine finalists from Divisions I, II and III will be honored at a dinner in Indianapolis on October 17, 2010. The 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at that event.