Feb. 14, 2007
2007 Patriot League Softball Webguide
Center Valley, Pa. - Lehigh garnered 50 first-place votes and 50 total points en route to being selected first in the 2007 Patriot League Softball Preseason Poll. Army was assigned the two remaining first-place votes and second place with 36 points in a poll voted on by head coaches and sports information directors, who can not vote for their own teams.
Rounding out the remainder of the poll were Colgate (35 points), Lafayette (28), Bucknell (21) and Holy Cross (10).
The Mountain Hawks have won more championship titles than any other Patriot League team with eight, including taking home the hardware the last three seasons. Last year's squad became the first Patriot League team to win two games at the NCAA Regionals and set the mark for most victories in a season with a 43-14 record.
Back for the Brown and White is the 2006 Patriot League Pitcher of the Year, Lisa Sweeney, who also earned the distinction of Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player. Sweeney set single-season Patriot League marks in wins (26) and strikeouts (228), while her 1.14 ERA ranks fifth. Sweeney is one of five All-Patriot League returners for Lehigh, a list that also includes Kate Marvel, Julie Sterrett, Heather Hamasaki and Lauren Haney.
Army, the runner-up at the last four Patriot League Tournaments, will be looking for its first title since 2002 and its fifth overall. Veronica Lauzon, Veronica Barth and Lindsey Gerheim, all of which were All-Patriot League selections a year ago, are back in uniform this season. Gerheim was also named the 2004 Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
Lauzon was a .322 hitter last year with 13 doubles, while Gerheim batted .313 with 28 runs and 24 RBI. Barth won seven games for the Black Knights and owned a 3.23 ERA.
Both the 2006 Patriot League Player of the Year, LaPorscha Albert, and Patriot League Rookie of the Year, Ashley Rowe, are back for Colgate this season, as are Second-Team All-Patriot League selections Whitney Scott, Tiana Tyeskey and Kortney Hannah. The Raiders have been winners of the Patriot League Tournament twice (1999 and 2003) and are the only team to qualify for all 16 Patriot League Tournaments.
Albert was a NFCA All-Region pick in 2006 and ranked second in the Patriot League with a .368 batting average, scoring 27 runs and belting out a Patriot League-leading 15 doubles.
Lafayette was the surprise team of 2006, earning the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament and qualifying for the post-season tourney for the first time since it was cut down from a full field event. Jeanine Gunther, in her first season on College Hill, was awarded the 2006 Patriot League Coach of the Year award by her peers. Jill Masterton is the Leopards only returning All-Patriot League mention from a year ago. Masterson batted .345 with 30 runs scored, 18 RBI, 12 doubles and six home runs in 2006.
Bucknell will bring back Lauren Litts, Jen James and Ashley Beans who were all honored on the 2006 All-Patriot League Team. The Bison will be looking to build on their one Patriot League Championship title that came in 1997. Litts, a NFCA All-Region selection, owned the best batting average in Patriot League games last season (.394) and is one home run shy of tying the Bucknell career mark of 17.
Jayme Elliott is the sole All-Patriot Leaguer returning for Holy Cross this season. Elliott ended the year rated the ninth toughest batter in strike out in the country. As a team, Holy Cross ranked first in the Patriot League with 57 stolen bases and were second in double-plays per game (0.32). The Crusaders earned their only Patriot League Championship title in 1998.
The 2007 season kicks off on Friday, Feb. 16 through Sunday, Feb. 18 with Army and Bucknell each playing four games. Army will be at the Georgia State Panther Invitational, while Bucknell will play in the Charlotte Green & White Tournament.
For more information on Patriot League softball refer to the 2007 Patriot League Softball Webguide.
2007 Patriot League Softball Preseason Poll
| Rank | Team | Points (First-Place Votes) | 2006 Overall Record | 2006 League Record |
| 1. | Lehigh | 50 (10) | 43-14 | 19-1 |
| 2. | Army | 36 (2) | 18-37 | 9-11 |
| 3. | Colgate | 35 | 17-25 | 10-10 |
| 4. | Lafayette | 28 | 20-28 | 10-10 |
| 5. | Bucknell | 21 | 15-37 | 8-12 |
| 6. | Holy Cross | 10 | 9-35 | 4-16 |
