Bloomsburg, West Chester and Seton Hill Claim Top Spots in PSAC Softball Preseason Polls
PSAC Central Preseason Notes
PSAC East Preseason Notes
PSAC West Preseason Notes
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Bloomsburg, West Chester and Seton Hill topped the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Preseason Softball Poll for their respective divisions, as voted on by the league’s head coaches, the league office announced Thursday afternoon.
Central
BU swiped three first-place votes after appearing in the 2017 PSAC Championship game. The Huskies were one of three PSAC teams to accumulate 30 wins last season and return a pair of all-conference representatives. BU coach Susan Kocher is 20 wins shy of 250. The Huskies have advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs in six of Kocher’s seven seasons and BU has finished at least nine games above .500 in 38 consecutive seasons.
Outfielders Emily Mayhew and Taylor Winkelman will pace the BU squad while Mayhew boasts a career batting average of .334. Winkelman tied for third in runs scored (39) while swinging at a .353 clip in 2017.
Lock Haven earned the No. 2 slot after garnering three first-place votes. The Bald Eagles will be under the direction of Kelly Shannon for the ninth season. Shannon has amassed 205 wins and returns a pair of all-conference members. Junior gunslinger Bekah Slattery will look to build off of a 16-win season, where she accumulated 134 strikeouts. Junior Faith Ceely led the team with 11 stolen bases while batting .309. LHU recorded 17 games last season where it scored five or more runs.
IUP landed at No. 3 in the poll and returns three all-conference players. Kaitlyn Beers and Lauren Goetz will patrol the infield while senior catcher Bryanna Lonick looks to manage the Crimson Hawks pitching staff. Coach Bill Graham enters his ninth season at the helm of IUP and is 14 wins shy of 250.
Mansfield earned the No. 4 spot and returns reigning freshman of the year Alli McGovern. McGovern impressed with a .387 batting average and a .472 slugging percentage.
Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion rounded out the poll, respectively.
East
WCU earned three first-place votes while claiming the top spot in the East. The Golden Rams won their first PSAC title last season and return senior pitcher Amanda Houck. Houck paced the league in innings pitched (260.2), wins (34), earned run average (1.50), strikeouts (196), strikeouts looking (52). WCU amassed a league-high 48 wins and advanced to the NCAA DII Super Regionals before falling to West Virginia Wesleyan in a winner-take-all contest.
Entering her 15th season at the helm, Diane Lokey returns five all-conference performers, including senior catcher Cat Hammer. Hammer paced the PSAC with 52 RBI and six triples.
Kutztown earned a first-place vote and is slotted second in the poll. The Golden Bears boast a pair of all-conference performers while under the direction of Judy Lawes. Lawes is in her 31st season at KU and has accumulated 925 wins. KU was one of three PSAC schools to win 30+ games in 2017.
Shippensburg claimed the final first-place vote and was picked third. The Raiders returns all of its starters from a team that won 29 games. Three SU athletes garnered all-conference merits, including senior Chloe Collins. Collins racked up seven wins in the circle while hitting .379 at the plate and swiping 22 bags.
East Stroudsburg and Millersville tied for fourth to complete the poll.
West
In a tightly-contested West, Seton Hill found itself atop the poll after receiving a first-place vote. The Griffins sport a pair of all-conference performers while under the direction of Bill Monstrola. This is SHU’s first appearance atop the poll and highest ranking since being picked second in 2016. The Griffins have advanced to the PSAC tournament in two of their four years in the league.
Slippery Rock took the No. 2 spot with a first-place vote in its pocket. The Rock returns three all-conference members while Stacey Rice enters her fourth season at SRU. The Rock will be led by Emily Nagle who led the PSAC with a .444 batting average. Nagle totaled 75 bases, six doubles and a triple.
Gannon grabbed third while earning a pair of first-place votes. The Golden Knights return four all-conference members and look to win the West for the second consecutive season. Coach Tom Jakubowski has accumulated 215 victories while entering his 10th season at GU.
California swiped the final two first-place votes and return all-conference shortstop Emily Price. Price was tabbed the Athlete of the Year and was named a NFCA All-American. Junior Taylor Robblee will lead the Vulcans pitching staff while tossing nearly 100 career innings.
Edinboro and Mercyhurst rounded out the poll, respectively.
KU and SU are the league’s first two teams to see action when both squads open its respective seasons Friday, Feb. 2.
PSAC play begins Thursday, March 29 while the championship will be held May 2-5 in Quakertown, Pa.
PSAC SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
Central (# of 1st-place votes)
1) Bloomsburg (3)
2) Lock Haven (3)
3) IUP
4) Mansfield
5) Pitt-Johnstown
6) Clarion
East
1) West Chester (3)
2) Kutztown (1)
3) Shippensburg (1)
T4) East Stroudsburg
T4) Millersville
West
1) Seton Hill (1)
2) Slippery Rock (1)
3) Gannon (2)
4) California (2)
5) Edinboro
6) Mercyhurst