Monday,
February 06, 2006
Contact:
Chris Kilcoyne
Defending
Champion
Roanoke
Tops 2006 ODAC Softball Preseason Poll
SALEM
,
VA
– Two-time defending Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC)
champion
Roanoke
College
has been picked as the favorite by the league’s head coaches in
the 2006 Softball Preseason Poll.
Roanoke
garnered seven
first-place votes and a total of 97 points.
RC finished the 2005 campaign 33-12 overall and 14-2 in the
ODAC. The Maroons
captured their sixth championship in seven years and advanced to
the NCAA Tournament.
RC returns 2005 ODAC Pitcher-of-the-Year Lyndsi Craig who
went 14-3 in the circle last season with a 1.53 ERA and an ODAC
best 124 strike outs in 114.2 innings pitched.
Lynchburg
earned a total
of 93 points and three first-place votes to take the second spot
in the poll. 2005 ODAC
Coach-of-the-Year Dawn Simmons led her squad to a 31-9 overall
record a 14-2 mark in the ODAC last season.
First-Team All-ODAC Outfielder Lauren Lancaster
returns to the LC line up after hitting at a .328 clip last season
with three home runs and a team best 39 runs scored.
Bridgewater
edged Virginia
Wesleyan for the third slot with a total of 74 points.
The Eagles went 24-18 overall last season with a 9-7 league
record. Jennifer Hall
took 2005 ODAC Rookie-of-the-Year honors after hitting a team best
.384 on an ODAC best 56 hits.
The Marlins landed in the fourth slot with 73 points followed
by Emory and Henry (53 points), Guilford (52 points), Eastern
Mennonite (47 points), Randolph-Macon (27 points), Randolph-Macon
Woman’s (21 points) and Sweet Briar (13 points).
2006
ODAC Softball Preseason Poll
Place
Team
Points (First-Place Votes)
1.
Roanoke
97 (7)
2.
Lynchburg
93 (3)
3.
Bridgewater
74
4.
Virginia Wesleyan
73
5.
Emory and Henry
53
6.
Guilford
52
7.
Eastern Mennonite
47
8.
Randolph-Macon
27
9.
Randolph-Macon Woman’s
21
10.
Sweet Briar
13
