Ithaca Narrowly Chosen to Regain Empire 8 Softball Title
Ithaca College, which captured the regular season conference title last season, was narrowly chosen to take the title in the Empire 8 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bombers, who are ranked 21st in the preseason National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III, earned their Division III-best 24th trip to the NCAA Division III tournament last year.
The Bombers return junior Jennifer Biondi, who earned first-team all-conference honors last season and finished the season hitting .329 with 26 runs scored and 32 RBI. Junior Adrienne Walters received second-team recognition a year ago, hitting .291 overall with 16 runs scored. The Bombers received four first-place votes.
St. John Fisher College, which won its third Empire 8 title in four years in 2011 (all of which were hosted by Ithaca), received three first-place votes and is the coaches’ choice to finish second this season. The Cardinals, who received votes in the NFCA preseason poll, return Empire 8 Player of the Year Jennifer Vanek, who led the team with a .412 batting average, 63 hits, and a conference-best six triples last year.
The Cardinals also return second-team all-conference third baseman Kayla Goodberlet, who led the team with 12 doubles, and second-team all-Empire 8 pitcher Sarah Stefanon. She posted a 15-5 record and 1.88 earned run average.
Alfred University, which shared the conference regular season title and advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2010, is the coaches’ choice to place third this year after missing the conference tournament last season. Senior shortstop Nicole Hedrick was the 2010 Empire 8 Player of the Year and garnered first-team all-conference honors again last year when she hit .423 with a team-high 27 runs scored.
Stevens Institute of Technology, which qualified for the conference tournament in only its second varsity season and posted wins over Ithaca and St. John Fisher, is the coaches’ selection to place fourth this year. Junior catcher Clair Strom became the first Ducks’ player to earn first-team all-conference honors a year ago when she hit .343 with 23 runs scored and 31 runs batted in.
Nazareth College and Utica College were picked fifth in the preseason poll. The Golden Flyers are looking to rebound from their last-place finish in the conference in 2011, while the Pioneers hope to improve upon their sixth-place finish a year ago.
Senior pitcher Kelly Kocher of the Golden Flyers was named Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year in 2010 when she led all NCAA Division III hurlers in strikeouts per seven innings. Junior first baseman Bridgette Plummer of the Pioneers earned first-team all-conference honors last season after hitting .385 with 34 runs scored and 13 doubles. Sophomore Krsitie Jones was named Empire 8 Rookie of the Year in 2011, batting .355 with 21 runs scored.
Elmira College is the coaches’ choice to finish seventh this year. The Soaring Eagles will be young with seven first-year players and five sophomores.
2012 Empire 8 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Ithaca College (4 first-place votes) 34 points
2. St. John Fisher College (3) 30
3. Alfred University 24
4. Stevens Institute of Technology 23
5. Nazareth College 13
Utica College 13
7. Elmira College 10