Babson Voted First in NEWMAC Softball Preseason Poll

[jonriv]

BOSTON, Mass. – Babson College received seven first-place votes to earn the top spot in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) softball preseason poll, as announced by the league on Monday. Coast Guard Academy, Springfield College and Wheaton College also received first-place votes from the coaches.

Springfield, the defending NEWMAC tournament champion, came in second in the poll and was followed by Wheaton in third. Coast Guard, which won three-straight NEWMAC championships from 2010 through 2012, was tabbed fourth.

Wellesley College, the last team besides Springfield or Coast Guard to win the conference tournament, was voted fifth. MIT, which is coming off its first NEWMAC tournament appearance since 2005, was tabbed sixth. WPI was voted seventh-place and Emerson College followed in eighth.

Clark University received ninth-place points while Smith College rounded out the poll in tenth.

The season kicks off on March 1 while league-play gets underway three weeks later, on March 22. The double-elimination NEWMAC tournament will be held from April 25 through May 3.

NEWMAC Softball Preseason Poll

Rank Institution (First place votes)
1. Babson (7)
2. Springfield (1)
3. Wheaton (1)
4. Coast Guard (1)
5. Wellesley
6. MIT
7. WPI
8. Emerson
9. Clark
10. Smith

[fasterpitch92701]

Babson.... Babson.... do you know someone at Babson ?????

(Read: good luck this year, they will do well, remind DD to kick butt)

[3'sDad]

FP: How are the Jeff's looking to do in 2014?

My DD had to pitch against #13 of the Jeff's in NJ State tourney when #13 was a HS senior and DD a frosh at her school. #13 got nthe better of her but it was a competitve game.

Hope all is well.

Bruce

[fasterpitch92701]

Jeffs recruited well, I believe. They lost 1 pitcher, brought in 3, including two lefties. The new coach, Shannon Doepking, is being well received and shaking things up a bit. The elephant in the room is Tufts who play in east section of NESCAC, not Amhersts west section. Regardless, the team is building and it's looking stronger. Last year was a disappointment. The previous year included a 22 win streak. The previous year (or was it two) they needed to recruit a field hockey player (never played softball) to play first so they could field a full team. So, flux happens. Regardless, it's looking much better this year with a strong foundation. Overall it's looking up and looking stronger ! Go Jeffs !

[jonriv]

Babson.... Babson.... do you know someone at Babson ?????

(Read: good luck this year, they will do well, remind DD to kick butt)

Thanks

Was actually surprised- Springfield is returning with two strong Senior Pitchers. Lots of questions with us- lost middle infield to graduation and our best hitter Catie Funk. Hoping for a strong start in Florida and hope we have good luck with our three games against Tufts (1 in Florida)

FP is right- Tufts is the Jumbo in the room!!!

[3'sDad]

Tufts Jumbo - elephant in the room......all,puns intended......lol!!

Ps: and what's wrong with field hockey players playing softball? Mine does!

[jonriv]

March 10, 2014
BABSON PARK, Mass.—After making a run to the conference title game while posting the third-most victories in program history and advancing to its third NCAA Tournament last year, the Babson College softball team is primed to continue its success this spring. Under the direction of 15th-year head coach Dave Canan, the Green and White, which was picked first in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) preseason poll, returns 14 letterwinners after going 34-14 a season ago.

Leading the Beavers' pitching staff will be senior Kathleen Conway (Simsbury, Conn.), who earned both NEWMAC Pitcher of the Year and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) second-team All-America honors last spring after setting nine single-season program records. The hard-throwing lefthander went 22-7 with four saves and 257 strikeouts in 36 appearances, all of which set new program marks, while allowing just 32 walks and posting a conference-best 1.06 ERA in 197 1/3 innings.

Senior Tess Rubega (Norwich, Conn.) returns after going 5-1 with a career-best 2.08 ERA in 12 appearances, as does junior Meghan Hayes (Robbinsville, N.J.), who was 1-0 with one save and a 3.82 ERA in 25 2/3 innings in 2013.

Despite the loss of two-time conference player of the year and 2013 All-American Catie Funk '13, Babson returns seven players that started at least 26 games last season. Sophomore catcher Caitie Benoit (Williamstown, Mass.) hit .346 with 13 extra-base hits and 39 RBI on her way to earning second-team all-league accolades, while junior outfielder Lindsey Schmid (New Canaan, Conn.) hit .339 with 21 runs scored and 18 RBI in 41 games.

Sophomore Maya Lacy (East Mill Creek, Utah) started 43 games in centerfield last spring hitting .318 with 12 extra-base hits and 28 runs scored, while classmate Emily Morris (Wolcott, Conn.) had 13 extra-base hits and was third on the team with 27 RBI. Senior third baseman Christa Shorette (Southington, Conn.) started 47 games at third and was second on the squad with 12 doubles in addition to driving in 22 runs.

Senior Kelly King (Kennebunk, Maine), a 2012 All-NEWMAC performer, and sophomore Madison Dinaso (Ardsley, N.Y.) started 26 and 23 games last season, respectively, and should once again vie for the starting first base job. Senior Ashley Hamilton (Northfield, N.J.) will compete for time in the infield, while the trio of seniors Katie Guido (Middleton, Mass.) and Christina Miquel (Emerson, N.J.) and junior Nicole Ravetier (Cranford, N.J.) provide depth in the outfield.

The Beavers also welcome 10 first-year players, and according to Canan are excited for the upcoming season. "The team has a mindset that they want to improve every day," he said. "They come to practice eager to get better, work hard, and improve individually as a group."

Babson, which is currently ranked 20th in the NFCA Division III poll, opens its season with the first of 11 games in Clermont, Fla., on Friday. In addition to a challenging 18-game NEWMAC slate, the Beavers will play three games against defending national champion Tufts and eight games overall against 2013 NCAA Tournament participants.

[jonriv]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXlCiRh575w

Notice the snow on the side of the turf lacrosse field

also notice at 1:34 in the video my DD practicing slides

[fastpitchdad05]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXlCiRh575w

Notice the snow on the side of the turf lacrosse field

also notice at 1:34 in the video my DD practicing slides

That must be an east coast style slide, Jonriv!

[jonriv]

Starting off as a tight race in the NEWMAC- Smith has showed some surprising strength with two early conference wins. This weekend sees somekey match-ups in conference play and things should look clearer on Monday after the dust settles.

http://www.newmacsports.com/sports/sbal ... /standings