Seventeen-straight years. That's the current streak of CAC softball championships for Salisbury head coach Margie Knight and the Sea Gulls. Salisbury, ranked No. 3 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) preseason poll, is picked by the conference coaches in the first-ever preseason poll to extend the championship streak this year, but the level of competition keeps getting tougher and tougher.
Frostburg State has advanced to the CAC Tournament championship game all three years since the Bobcats joined the conference prior to the 2010-11 season. Mary Washington has always been a steady challenger for the Sea Gulls. And, oh yeah, there's a "new kid in town" – Christopher Newport, the 17th-ranked team in the national pre-season poll.
CNU, with 43 points (one first-place vote), is second in the CAC preseason poll behind Salisbury (49 points, seven first-place votes). Frostburg State (36 points) and Mary Washington (30 points) are third and fourth, respectively, but both teams have the talent to challenge the nationally-ranked squads.
York (25 points) and Wesley (17 points) are young, building teams that are hoping to earn one of the five bids to the CAC Championship Tournament, which begins Thursday, April 17, at the home field of the top seeded team in the event.
Christopher Newport is one of three new teams in the CAC this year. Southern Virginia (15 points), in its second year as an NCAA Division III provisional team and therefore ineligible for the CAC tournament until 2015, finished seventh in the preseason poll while Penn State Harrisburg (9 points) placed eighth.
2014 CAC Softball Preseason Poll
- Salisbury (7) 49
- Christopher Newport (1) 43
- Frostburg State 36
- Mary Washington 30
- York (Pa.) 25
- Wesley 17
- Southern Virginia 15
- Penn State Harrisburg 9
The 2014 campaign opens Saturday (2/22) when Salisbury competes in a tournament at Raleigh, N.C., and Christopher Newport challenges local rival Va. Wesleyan. Wesley opens the season Sunday (2/23) with a twinbill at Gallaudet.
The first conference doubleheaders are slated for the weekend of March 22-23. The CAC champion will be crowned on Saturday, April 19.
Here is a quick look at each team heading into the 2014 season:
CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT has high hopes for the 2014 season, its first in the Capital Athletic Conference. Keith Parr is beginning his 11th season guiding the Captains, who are tied for 17th in the NFCA preseason poll. CNU has reached the NCAA Tournament in seven straight seasons, including an automatic berth last year after winning the USA South conference tournament championship. Offensively, CNU will look to be very strong this season, returning all but one key starter in the lineup. Two-time USA South Player of the Year Sabrina Hill headlines a veteran group returning. After just two seasons at CNU, Hill ranks fourth in career home runs, with 20, and batting average, with a .403 mark, and in the top ten in career RBI, with 113. Four seniors will be a factor in the starting lineup as well, providing Parr with a lot of experience at the top of lineup. OutfieldersKelley Foate and Kristina McLaughlin and infielders Candice Zollars and Taylor Dillow all hit .329 or better last season, combining for 106 RBI and 115 runs scored. Sophomores Alexis Pope and Meagan Jones will also return to the field for CNU after successful rookie campaigns. In all, Parr returns four All-Region selections in Hill, Foate, Pope and McLaughlin. Among the biggest hurdles for success this season will be replacing four senior pitchers from last year's squad. Returners Hanah Marshall and Krista Lewis, in addition to rookie Makayla Jenkins will look to fill the pitching circle this season.
FROSTBURG STATE has advanced to the CAC Tournament finals in each of its first three seasons in the league and the Bobcats will look to get over the hump in Wes Landrum's ninth year at the helm. The 2013 ECAC South Region Champions return two NFCA All-Region honorees and the CAC Rookie of the Year from a year ago. Three-time All-CAC First Team selection Caitlin Lovend returns for her final season with FSU after posting some of the nation's top hitting numbers last spring. She will be joined by sophomores Renay Aubel and Mary Ann Moore. Aubel set the CAC's single-season home run mark as a freshman (16), while Moore took CAC Rookie of the Year honors after winning 16 games in the circle.
MARY WASHINGTON comes into 2014 looking to improve on their 15-23, 5-3 CAC season from a year ago … The Eagles return junior pitcher Hannah Otterman, who recorded ten wins, along with 124 strikeouts for UMW last year … Senior Birett Chitty looks to cap her four year career, after posting a .400 batting average, while swiping 12 stolen bases last season.
Third-ranked SALISBURY looks to build on last season's trip to the College World Series in 2014, with strong returning pitching and a few key defensive veterans. Senior Kathryn Larson and junior Rachel Johnson will lead a pitching staff that finished fourth in the nation with a 1.13 ERA. Johnson was named a first-team All-American, ranking second in Division III in strikeouts per seven innings, victories and hits allowed per seven innings. Defensively, the Sea Gulls will be led by seniors Harley Hill and Angelia McDowell. Hill, a mainstay at first base for the 17-time defending CAC champion, was the toughest hitter to strikeout in the league last year and 15th toughest in the nation. McDowell, a regular in the outfield in 2013, will return to her role patrolling the outfield in 2014.
Fielding a young squad, SOUTHERN VIRGINIA softball coach Duste Grawrock hopes her team represents the school and the program well as it heads into its first season in the Capital Athletic Conference. While hitting the ball and bringing in runs are essential to earning victories, one major focus Grawrock is putting on her team is the defensive side of the game, making plays quickly and shutting teams down. The team lost its starting pitchers from last season as Kenzy Mackay and Annie Biggs decided to serve church missions. The Knights also lost their starting catcher from a year ago who also decided to serve a mission. Incoming freshmen Makenzie Packard and Kelsey Bair are expected to contribute immediately. Packard has great range in the outfield and rarely allow balls to get behind her. Bair, a middle infielder, has shown great defense and a fantastic bat thus far.
Note: As a second-year NCAA Division III provisional member, Southern Virginia is not eligible for the CAC team championship/standings. However, the Knights student-athletes are eligible for all CAC individual awards. Southern Virginia will be eligible for team recognition in all sports beginning with the 2014-15 academic year.
WESLEY is even younger this season with just one upperclassman - the rest of the roster includes just freshmen or sophomores. However, don't confuse that with a lack of experience as every Wolverines sophomore saw fulltime action as freshman. Leading the bunch is outfielder Steph Caracozza, who hit .412 last year and was an All-Conference performer, as well as classmate Sarah Saunders, who led the team in offensive power categories and was also the Wolverines No. 2 pitcher. The corner infield positions look strong as well with senior Ashly Bendorovich and Kayla Fromal, who both hit well over .350 in 2013 and combined for 41 RBIs. With that solid nucleus returning, as well as a talented freshman class, Wesley is primed to improve on last seasons' 12-23 mark.
YORK enters the second year of Jen Petteys' tenure as a completely different team. Petteys has dramatically re-worked the roster as the Spartans will be young but certainly more talented. York has just one senior, Alyssa Molino, on the roster while four juniors, Sara Thacker, Vanessa Mendez,Ashley Chenoweth, and Jena Ruby, are the Spartans most experienced players. York's roster features nine freshman and five sophomores including All-CAC DP Payton Hill.