University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Softball Picked Fourth In Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
January 30, 2015 | Softball
The Massachusetts softball team was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic 10 Conference in the preseason poll that was released by the league office Friday.
The Minutewomen earned 70 points in the poll, which was voted on by the 10 head coaches last week.
UMass returns seven starters and 17 letterwinners from last year's team that returned to the A-10 Championship tournament. The Minutewomen finished fourth a year ago.
UMass will open its second season under head coach Kristi Stefanoni at the Houston Invitational, Friday, Feb. 13. Conference play will begin on March 21 at George Mason and the first home contest for the Minutewomen is scheduled for March 31 against Connecticut.
UMass will host the A-10 Championship at Sortino Field, May 6-9.
*** Complete A-10 Release is below ***
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Fordham has been predicted to win its third straight Atlantic 10 Conference Softball Championship, according to the preseason poll conducted by the league's 10 head coaches. The Rams were the unanimous selection for the top spot in the poll, which was released Friday by the A-10.
Fordham enters 2015 after posting a 36-20 record in 2014. The Rams, winners of three of the last four A-10 championships, will enter 2015 behind the arm of senior pitcher and First Team All-Conference selection Michele Daubman. Sophomores Amy Van Hoven and Sydney Canessa were also First Team selections a year ago and coach Bridget Orchard was the 2014 A-10 Coach of the Year.
Saint Louis was picked second in the poll, garnering 86 points. The Billikens are led by junior pitcher Brianna Lore and senior outfielder Lindsay Friedman, both of whom were 2014 First Team All-Conference selections. Saint Joseph's was picked to finish third with 73 points. The Hawks will be led by a pair of seniors Second Team All-Conference selections, first baseman Ashley Alden and outfielder Melissa Ruf.
Massachusetts took the fourth spot in the preseason poll with 70 points, followed by Dayton in fifth place with 61 points and George Washington in sixth with 51 points. George Mason was picked seventh and La Salle was chosen eighth. St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island rounded out the 2015 selections respectively.
2015 Softball Predicted Order of Finish
(Number of first place votes in parenthesis)
1. Fordham (10)........................... 100
2. Saint Louis................................ 86
3 Saint Joseph's.......................... 73
4. Massachusetts......................... 70
5. Dayton...................................... 61
6. George Washington............... 51
7. George Mason......................... 39
8. La Salle...................................... 37
9. St. Bonaventure....................... 17
10. Rhode Island ........................... 15