No. 8 West Chester, No. 24 Gannon and Lock Haven Top PSAC Softball Preseason Polls
PSAC Central Preseason Notes
PSAC East Preseason Notes
PSAC West Preseason Notes
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Lock Haven, Gannon and West Chester topped the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Preseason Softball Poll for their respective divisions, as voted on by the league’s head coaches, the league office announced Thursday afternoon.
Central
Lock Haven claimed five of the six possible first-place votes after running the table and finishing league play at 20-0 in 2018. The Bald Eagles were the first PSAC team to accomplish the feat since 2014 (California) and eighth time since 1993. Lock Haven will ride the arm of preseason All-American and reigning Pitcher of the Year, Bekah Slattery. The senior paced the league with 219 strikeouts while tying for first with 26 complete games and tying for second with 20 wins. The Bald Eagles will be under the direction of Kelly Shannon, who earned Coach of the Year accolades for the second consecutive season and is seven wins shy of 250 for her career.
Bloomsburg received a first-place vote and was slotted second in the poll. The Huskies return three All-PSAC Central players in 2019 in redshirt senior Kalynn Wheeland, senior Taylor Winkelman, and sophomore Tara Baney. Wheeland was also named to the D2CCA All-American second team last season after leading the Huskies with a .414 batting average. Her .742 slugging percentage and 46 RBI both ranked second in the PSAC while her .448 on-base percentage was tied for 13
th in the conference. Winkelman started in all 42 games for Bloomsburg last season, posting a .324 batting average, a .428 slugging percentage, and 12 doubles. She was named to the National Coaches Fastpitch Association All-Atlantic Region first team in 2018 as well as the D2CCA All-Atlantic Region second team.
IUP was tabbed third and return the Athlete of the Year, Kaitlyn Beers and Freshman of the Year, Renee Wall. Beers was the first Crimson Hawk to garner the award since 1999. She accumulated 33 RBI while producing a .362 batting average, including 13 doubles.
Wall matched her teammate with 13 doubles while impressing with a .370 batting average. She recorded nine multi-hit games, including a trio of three-hit contests.
Mansfield and Pitt-Johnstown tied for fourth while Mansfield’s coach, Edith Gallagher, is six wins shy of 450 in her career.
Pitt-Johnstown will rely on two-time all-conference representative Morgan Cannin. Cannin returns for her senior season and looks to build off a 2018 campaign that saw her hit for a .379 average. The Mountain Cats sport a young roster with nine sophomores and six freshmen.
Clarion rounded out the poll and return all-conference member Taylor Nonnenberg. Nonnenberg broke the program’s career record for steals.
East
West Chester grabbed four first-place votes while earning the top spot in the East. The Golden Rams are ranked No. 8 in the NFCA Division II Preseason Poll after appearing in the NCAA DII World Series last year. West Chester appeared in the PSAC Championship game before winning the Atlantic Region. Head Coach Diane Lokey is 14 wins shy of 500 for her career. Lokey returns junior Bri Garber, who claimed the Athlete of the Year award. Garber paced the PSAC in batting average (.435), on-base percentage (.515), runs scored (60), hits (84) and walks (31).
Kutztown earned second in the poll. Coach Judy Lawes is nine wins shy of 950 for her career. The Golden Bears have finished above .500 in 32 of the last 34 seasons. Kutztown returns a pair of all-conference representatives in Cheyenne Jones and Sara Keeny. Keeny used her speed to tie for the league lead in triples (5) and stolen bases (24).
Shippensburg claimed a first-place vote while being tabbed third. The Raiders return nine players while welcoming 10 freshmen. Coach Alison Van Scyoc welcomes back Freshman of the Year Courtney Coy and all-conference performer Taryn Wilson. Wilson was a star in the circle after finishing 25th in the nation with 191 strikeouts. She claimed 17 wins while turning in 179 innings. Coy was the fifth toughest hitter in the nation to strike out with two strikeouts in 125 plate appearances.
Millersville was slated fourth while East Stroudsburg rounded out the poll.
Millersville broke a school record with 45 home runs and will return five of its top six hitters.
East Stroudsburg return five starting position players while leading the league in stolen bases per game for the third consecutive season.
West
Gannon swiped the top spot in the poll with five first-place votes and are ranked No. 24 in the NFCA poll. The Golden Knights return Freshman of the Year, Kaity Stocker. Stocker paced the West in home runs (10), slugging percentage (.740) and RBI (42). Gannon won its first PSAC title with a victory against West Chester. Gannon would advance to the Atlantic Super Regional before falling. The Golden Knights will be under the direction of first-year coach, Michelle Wiley. Wiley’s squad will return three all-conference performers.
Seton Hill was tabbed second in the poll and will be under first-year coach Jessica Strong. The Griffins offense will rely on Brooke Bower. Bower led the team with a .390 batting average and posted a team-high in hits (55) and runs scored (31).
Slippery Rock claimed third while receiving a first-place vote. The Rock returns Athlete of the Year, Kailey Myers. Myers was clutch while hitting .489 with runners in scoring position. She drove in 39 runs while scoring 22. She produced the third-best on-base percentage in the PSAC with a .493 mark.
California was slated fourth while coach Rick Bertagnolli is 12 wins shy of 875 in his career. The Vulcans return a pair of all-conference selections in Paige and Brooke Wilson. B. Wilson led the team with a .361 batting average while P. Wilson paced the team with a .458 on-base percentage.
Mercyhurst was tabbed fifth while Edinboro rounded out the poll.
Edinboro coach Dan Gierlak begins his 30th season at the helm and is approaching 1,100 games in his career.
Kutztown, Shippensburg and Mercyhurst will be the first three teams to see action when it opens its respective seasons on Saturday, Feb. 2.
PSAC play begins Friday, March 29 while the championship will be held May 1-4 in Quakertown, Pa.
PSAC SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
Central (# of 1st-place votes)
1) Lock Haven (5)
2) Bloomsburg (1)
3) IUP
T4) Mansfield
T4) Pitt-Johnstown
6) Clarion
East
1) West Chester (4)
2) Kutztown
3) Shippensburg (1)
4) Millersville
5) East Stroudsburg
West
1) Gannon (5)
2) Seton Hill
3) Slippery Rock (1)
4) California
5) Mercyhurst
6) Edinboro