Feb. 12, 2010
Center Valley, Pa.— Lehigh was picked first in the 2010 Patriot League Softball Preseason Poll with 49 points and nine first-place votes, it was announced Friday. Colgate, Bucknell and Lafayette each received one first-place vote. Colgate was tabbed second in the poll with 36 points, followed by Bucknell (34), Lafayette (29), Army (18) and Holy Cross (14). The poll was voted on by head coaches and sports information directors, who could not vote for their own team.
Lehigh has captured at least a portion of the Patriot League regular-season title in each of the the last 11 seasons and outright in the last 10. Head Coach Fran Troyan's team won the 2009 Patriot League Tournament, giving the Mountain Hawks two consecutive titles and 10 overall. Lehigh reached the NCAA regional championship before falling to national top seed Florida. The Mountain Hawks must replace four-time Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Lisa Sweeney, but back in the pitcher’s circle is senior Tiffany Curtis, who was named a First-Team All-Patriot League selection as a junior. Curtis pitched just the third perfect game in Patriot League history when she blanked St. Bonaventure on March 3. She finished second among Patriot League pitchers with 14 wins, trailing only Sweeney. Also back for the Mountain Hawks is 2009 Patriot League Rookie of the Year Julie Fernandez. As a freshman, Fernandez finished second among Patriot League players with a .384 batting average. She closed with four home runs and 30 runs batted in.
Colgate will begin the 2010 season in search of its fourth Patriot League championship. The Raiders last won the crown in 2007. Head coach Vickie Sax, the 2009 Patriot League Coach of the Year, will return two of the top pitchers from last year’s team that reached the Patriot League Tournament. Sophomore Michelle Hollebeke is back after going 8-6 with a 2.76 ERA as a freshman. Also back is senior Jesse McCarrick, who went 11-6 with a 2.86 ERA last season. The Raiders batted a League-best .307 as a team last year. Back to lead the team at the plate is sophomore shortstop Jennifer Ortega. As a freshman, Ortega batted. .302 with a team-best seven home runs.
Bucknell, a 2009 Patriot League Tournament participant, will return the services of two of its top players from a year ago. Junior utility player Jessie Snyder is back in the fold after batting .328 with six home runs and 24 RBIs last season. Sophomore Jane Messersmith, who led the team with nine wins and a 3.56 ERA will return to the pitcher’s circle. Messersmith also batted .333 with 12 RBIs.
Lafayette will be chasing a return trip to the Patriot League title game after finishing as runner-up last season. The Leopards will be under the guidance of new head coach Jaime Wallin, who comes to Easton following a four-year stint at Sonoma State (Calif.). Wallin will have the services of 2009 Patriot League Player of the Year Christina Giambrone, who led the League with a .398 batting average and 14 home runs. Also back in the lineup are Stacey Kushner and Kasey Karr. Kushner batted .350, while Karr was a .344 hitter during the 2009 season. Karr also recorded a team-best 10 victories in the pitcher’s circle.
First-year head coach Michelle DePolo will take the reins at Army. She previously served two years as the assistant for the recently retired Jim Flowers. DePolo will have senior Jessi Muckelroy to handle the bulk of the Black Knights’ pitching duties. Muckelroy recorded 10 of Army’s 21 pitching victories last season. Also back is sophomore utility player Alexis AuBuchon. As a freshman, AuBuchon batted .359 with three home runs and 23 RBIs.
Keeley Seniuk, who started all 46 games for Holy Cross last season, is back for the Crusaders. As a sophomore outfielder, Seniuk batted .319 with three home runs and 25 RBIs. Junior pitcher Caitlin Belanger is also back for head coach Brian Claypool. Belanger was 4-4 with a 2.86 ERA as a sophomore.
Army will be the first team to start the 2010 season, doing so on Saturday at the Georgia State Classic in Atlanta, Ga. No other Patriot League team will start its season until Feb. 26. The Patriot League portion of the season will kick off Saturday, April 3 and will culminate at the 2010 Patriot League Tournament, which will take place Thursday-Saturday, May 13-15 at the site of the highest seed.
2010 Patriot League Preseason Poll
- Lehigh, 49 points (9 first-place votes)
- Colgate, 36 (1)
- Bucknell, 34 (1)
- Lafayette, 29 (1)
- Army, 18
- Holy Cross 14
