UMBC

Printer Friendly  Email This Page
News Release

Retrievers Picked Fourth in America East Preseason Softball Poll

2/14/2007

Reilly Ward is one of the Retrievers' three returning all-conference players.

Boston-The UMBC softball team was picked to finish fourth in the 2006 America East Preseason Coaches’ poll, which was released today. The Retrievers received 41 points, including one first-place vote, in a vote of the league’s head softball coaches. Boston University, the 2006 America East runner-up, is the favorite to win the conference title, as the Terriers received five of a possible eight first-place votes for a total of 58 points.

Two-time defending champion Albany received the remaining two first-place votes and 53 points overall for second place, followed by 2006 regular-season champion Maine with 46 points. UMBC was picked fourth with 41 points, followed by Stony Brook (40), Hartford (22), Vermont (15) and Binghamton (13).

Under the direction of sixth-year head coach Joe French, the Retrievers will look to repeat their 2006 offensive surge which propelled them to their first America East Championship since joining the conference in 2004. The top four teams in the league earn berths to the tournament, with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Softball Championship.

Last season, UMBC finished third in the America East with an 11-10 league mark and a 46-20 overall record.

The Retrievers return three 2006 all-conference honorees in seniors Melanie Denischuk and Reilly Ward and junior Dana Shepherd.

Denischuk, the 2006 America East Player of the Year, hit .432 and shattered UMBC records for home runs (24), RBI (82) and slugging percentage (.880). Ward was named to the all-conference first team after hitting .320 with 12 home runs and posting 52 RBI, while Shepherd earned all-conference second team accolades with her .338 average, eight home runs and 47 RBI.

The Retrievers open the season Feb. 17-18 at the Longwood Tournament in Farmville, Va. UMBC will host in-state rival Mount St. Mary’s on Feb. 24 for its home debut at UMBC Softball Stadium. America East play begins March 31 against Maine.

2007 America East Preseason Coaches’ Poll

School (1st-Place Votes)        Points

1. Boston U. (5)                       58

2. Albany (2)                            53

3. Maine                                   46

4. UMBC (1)                          41

5. Stony Brook                         40

6. Hartford                               22

7. Vermont                               15

8. Binghamton                          13