(02-26-08)
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. – C.W. Post has been chosen as the preseason favorite in the East Coast Conference softball poll, as voted upon by the conference coaches, while the University of New Haven was picked to finish fourth. Charger sophomore Breanne Gleason was named to the ECC's Preseason All-Conference Team.
C.W. Post earned 117 points in the poll, including seven first place votes, edging second place Adelphi - last year’s regular season champion - which garnered 112 points including the remaining four first place votes.
The remainder of the field included Dowling College (99 points), University of New Haven (84), NYIT (84), Queens College (68), Molloy College (55), the University of Bridgeport (41), St. Thomas Aquinas College (36), Mercy College (23) and Concordia College (19).
UNH finished 26-19 a year ago under then-first year head coach Jen Starek, and was ranked as high as 17th in the nation following early-season success in Florida.
C.W. Post had a 45-17 overall mark last season, including a 17-3 mark in ECC play, placing second in the regular season. After finishing as the ECC tournament runner up, the Pioneers caught fire in the NCAA Northeast regional tournament, posting four straight victories on the way to qualifying for the NCAA Division II Softball World Series.
UNH sophomore Breanne Gleason was named to the ECC's Preseason All-Conference team. Gleason was on the 2007 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Northeast Region First Team as a pitcher and was a Second Team 2007 Daktronics Softball All-Northeast Region pick. She started all 45 games, with 31 starts in the circle, and compiled a 21-15 record and 1.71 ERA. Her 21 wins ranked 37th in the nation and her ERA ranked 54th. She recorded 227 strikeouts which already ranks seventh on the career list at UNH. The dual threat hit .355 and led the Chargers with 54 hits, 16 doubles, 5 home runs, and 85 total bases.
Dowling senior outfielder Tara Wallace was the coaches’ pick as preseason Player of the Year. Wallace hit .455 last year with six home runs and 38 RBI and slugged .727 on the way to earning ECC Player of the Year and First Team All Conference accolades. She went on to earn Daktronics Northeast Regional Player of the Year honors as well as a spot on the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-Northeast Region Team.
C.W. Post senior Samantha Yodowitz was tabbed as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Yodowitz posted a 31-9 mark last season with a 1.29 ERA with 177 strikeouts and just 45 walks on the way to earning Second Team All ECC honors as well as NFCA/Louisville Slugger Second Team All-American and All Region First Team accolades.
Joining Gleason, Wallace and Yodowitz on the Preseason All-Conference First Team were Christine Robinson, Diana DiPiano, Samantha Johnson and Julia Schaper of Adelphi; Christy Softy, Holly Eringis, Katie Younes and Melissa Median of C.W. Post; and Karen Thorne of St. Thomas Aquinas.
2008 ECC Softball Preseason Poll
(First place votes in parentheses)
School, Points, 2007 Record (ECC)
C.W. Post (7), 117, 45-17 (17-3)
Adelphi (4), 112, 39-13 (18-2)
Dowling, 99, 38-18 (17-3)
New Haven, 84, 26-19 (10-10)
NYIT, 72, 20-20 (11-9)
Queens, 68, 20-25 (11-9)
Molloy, 55, 21-23 (9-11)
Bridgeport, 41, 12-30 (6-14)
St. Thomas Aquinas, 36, 12-26 (6-14)
Mercy, 23, 0-20 (0-20)
Concordia, 19, 11-17 (5-15)
Preseason All Conference Team
First Team
Samantha Yodowitz (2), Sr., P, C.W. Post, Suffern, N.Y.
Christine Robinson, So., P, Adelphi, Oceanside, N.Y.
Breanne Gleason (3), So., P, New Haven, Bristol, Conn.
Christy Softy (1) (R), So., C, C.W. Post, Floral Park, N.Y.
Holly Eringis, Sr., 1B, C.W. Post, Tewksbury, Mass.
Katie Younes (1), Sr., 2B, C.W. Post, Newbury, Mass.
Karen Thorne (1), Sr., SS, St. Thomas Aquinas, Fishkill, N.Y.
Diana DiPiano (1), Jr., 3B, Adelphi, Valley Stream, N.Y.
Tara Wallace (1) (P), Sr., OF, Dowling, Barnegat, N.J.
Samantha Johnson (1), Jr., OF, Adelphi, Port Jervis, N.Y.
Melissa Medina (1), So., OF, C.W. Post, Levittown, N.Y.
Julia Schaper (1), Sr., UT, Adelphi, Warwick, N.Y.
Preseason Player of the Year: Tara Wallace, Dowling
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Samantha Yodowitz, C.W. Post
(1) First Team 2007
(2) Second Team 2007
(3) Third Team 2007
(P) Player of the Year, 2007
(R) Rookie of the Year, 2007
