Posted: Mar 01, 2012
Cortland received all possible first-place votes in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) 2012 softball preseason coaches’ poll, topping Plattsburgh and Buffalo State. Coaches vote for every team in the conference, except their own and points were assigned for each vote (nine for first, eight for second, etc.). Teams are ranked in order of highest point total to lowest with first place votes shown in parentheses.
Cortland finished 42-5-1 overall last year went undefeated in SUNYAC play for the second straight year and competed in the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight season. Cortland advanced to the NCAA Div. III World Series for the seventh time overall and third time in the last four years. The Red Dragons finished fourth nationally – the best finish in school history. Cortland also won its second straight State SUNYAC title and 11th overall. Nationally sixth ranked Cortland will have to do without All-American and three-time SUNYAC Player of the Year Donnalyn Cross but the Red Dragons return SUNYAC and ECAC pitcher of the year Lyndsay Rowell and fellow All-American Lucia Meola.
Plattsburgh finished second in the conference standings and was eliminated in the league tournament one game short of the championship. The Cardinals finished with a 32-8 record and were ranked as high as 14th nationally during the season. Ashley Marshall returns to circle after throwing 238 strikeouts in 164 innings of work, while opponents hit a league-low .169 against her.
Buffalo State earned the third spot in the preseason poll with 54 points. The Bengals finished with an 18-21 record and advanced to the SUNYAC Championship game as the fifth seed. Shortstop Kyrstin Lekki was named All-SUNYAC for the third time after posting a .331 batting average with 32 RBIs.
Fredonia was slotted fourth with 53 points and rounding out the top five is Brockport with 50 points. The Blue Devils will be coached by first year Nicole Loudin who inherited a team that had no seniors in 2011. Fredonia finished third in the SUNYAC and was 26-9 overall, which tied the school record for most wins and broke the record for fewest losses. Top returners include outfielder Katie Bartkowiak who batted .437 with a single-season school record 55 hits and 2011 Rookie of the Year Alyssa Brogano who recorded a 1.22 earned run average and two saves in 13 total appearances.
Brockport posted a record of 22-15-1, placed sixth in the SUNYAC conference with an 8-9-1 mark and were knocked out of the playoffs on day one. The Golden Eagles will have to fill the void left by Stephanie Geer in the circle but return five starters who hit .300 or better including Sarah Rosenbarker who led Brockport with a .394 average. Offensively, Brockport's bats outscored the opposition 172-117 while outhitting the competition 300-246. Brockport batted .294 as a team while allowing the opposition to bat .254.
Geneseo, Oneonta, New Paltz, Oswego and Potsdam complete the poll.
SUNYAC conference softball games begin the week of Friday and Saturday, March 30 and 31. The six-team SUNYAC double-elimination tournament will be held May 3-5 on the campus of the highest seed.
2012 SUNYAC Softball Preseason Poll
1. Cortland - 81 (9)
2. Plattsburgh - 71 (1)
3. Buffalo State - 54
4. Fredonia - 53
5. Brockport - 50
6. Geneseo - 43
7. Oneonta - 39
8. New Paltz - 29
9. Oswego -17
10. Potsdam -13
