2014 GNAC Softball Pre-season Coaches’ Poll Announced

BOSTON, Mass. – The Saint Joseph's College (ME) Softball team has been selected as the 2043 GNAC Softball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll favorite, receiving eight first place votes and a total of 139 points. The Monks claimed their third consecutive GNAC Championship last April and will look to make it four in a row later this spring. Coming in second was Johnson & Wales University with 119 points and three first place votes while Norwich University finished third with 110 points.

The Monks return a veteran core in 2014 including five All-Conference selections from last season. Senior Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) returns for her final campaign after being named to the GNAC First Team last season in which she batted a team-best .453 while recording 98 total bases. Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine), Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine), Connie Grovo (Limington, Maine) and Rae-Marie Copen (Newton, Mass.) all return as members of the 2013 GNAC All-Conference Third Team, giving the Monks experience and depth in their starting lineup.

Johnson & Wales returns the dynamic pitching duo of seniors Taylor Cwalinski (Jackson, N.J.) and Tayla Gardner (Orangeburg, N.Y.). Cwalinski was named the 2013 GNAC Pitcher of the Year as well as a First Team selection while Gardner was named to the GNAC Third Team. Together, the pair combined for 24 wins and an incredible 358 strikeouts.

Norwich University will look to return to the top of the conference after finishing the 2013 regular season with a 20-4 GNAC slate, good for the top spot heading into the GNAC tournament. The Cadets will look to 2013 GNAC First Team selection Abby Belcher (Winthrop, Mass.) for more production after a stellar junior campaign that saw the shortstop post a .475 batting average.

University of Saint Joseph (CT) finished fourth in the poll with 110 points (one first place vote) and returns several key starters including the 2013 GNAC Rookie of the Year, Patti Sciglimpaglia (Norwalk, Conn.). Sciglimpaglia was named to the GNAC Second Team along with returner Ashley Gall (Stafford Springs, Conn.).

The Simmons College Sharks, ranking fifth in the poll with 106 points, will look to build around the arm of junior pitcher Laruen Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.). The 2012 GNAC Rookie of the Year and 2013 First Team selection posted 13 wins last season while striking out 158 batters on the year.

Rivier University and Suffolk University finished sixth and seventh in the poll, respectively, as the Raiders edged out the Rams with a 79 to 72 point margin. Both teams qualified for the 2013 GNAC postseason with the Rams advancing all the way to the Championship game.

Emmanuel College cracks the top eight in the poll with 57 points while Albertus Magnus College earned the nine spot with 45 points. Just behind them with 43 points stands Mount Ida College in the 10^th spot. Lasell College earned 33 points for the 11^th ranking and rounding out the poll is Anna Maria College with 21 points.

2014 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Softball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll