William M. Moore, Commissioner

Office Phone:  860-677-1269

FAX: 860-674-8363

Dan Furlong, Publicist

Office Phone:  207-228-8186

FAX:  207-780-5182

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                 Wednesday, March 9, 2005

 

Little East Conference Pre-Season Softball Poll

Defending Regular Season Champion Keene State Finishes First

 

            PROVIDENCE, RI — Defending Little East Conference regular season champion Keene State College received five first-place votes and 59 total points to finish first in the annual pre-season poll of the league’s eight coaches.

            A year ago, the Owls ran away from the pack in the regular season with a 12-2 conference mark, earning its second LEC regular season title. KSC was the top seed in the LEC Tournament and lost on the first day of play but battled back only to fall in the loser’s bracket final. The Owls, who finished last season with an overall record of 29-12, earned a birth in the ECAC Tournament, falling in the semifinal round.

            Not far behind KSC in the preseason poll was defending LEC Tournament Champion Western Connecticut, who received two first-place votes and 52 total points. The Colonials, who concluded the season with an overall record of 26-16 and a conference mark of 9-5, entered the tournament as the third seed and went a perfect 3-0 en route to the program’s third tournament title. WCSU earned a birth in the NCAA Tournament going 1-2 and bowing out in the first round.

            Placing third in the preseason poll with 48 points was Southern Maine who finished 2004 with a 9-5 LEC record and an overall mark of 33-11-1. The Huskies earned a trip to the ECAC Tournament, going 2-2 and falling in the loser’s bracket finals.

            Just two points behind USM, earning the fourth spot in the poll was Rhode Island College. The Anchorwomen, who finished last season with a 9-5 conference mark and an overall record of 21-15-1, was the only other team to receive a first-place vote with one. RIC fell in its first two games at the LEC Tournament and then dropped its opening round game in the ECAC Tournament to conclude its season.

            Eastern Connecticut placed fifth in the poll with 31 points with Plymouth State University following in sixth place with 27 points. UMass Dartmouth came in seventh place with 13 points while UMass Boston followed in eighth with 12 points. Last season, Eastern Connecticut earned a LEC record of 8-6, which was good for fifth place. Plymouth State compiled a conference mark of 7-7 to earn sixth place while UMass Dartmouth and UMass Boston each finished with 1-13 LEC marks which was good for a tie at seventh place.

 

2005 Little East Conference Preseason Softball Poll

                     

                                                                                                                           1)    Keene State College        59                  (5)

                                                                                                                           2)    Western Connecticut      52                  (2)

                                                                                                                           3)     Southern Maine              48

                                                                                                                           4)     Rhode Island College     46                  (1)

                                                                                                                           5)     Eastern Connecticut       31

                                                                                                                           6)     Plymouth State                27

                                                                                                                           7)     UMass Dartmouth          13

                                                                                                                           8)     UMass Boston                12

 (first place votes in parentheses)

 

 Last Updated On: 9/1/06