BENNINGTON, Vt. – Based on a preseason vote by coaches around the league, the Southern Vermont College softball team has been chosen to finish ninth in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) for the 2014 season.
Five-time defending champion Lesley University was the top choice to finish at the head of the league once again after receiving nine of the 10 first-place votes. Newbury College was picked second with Elms College and Becker College tying for third.
In her first year as head coach of the Mountaineers, Alyssa Davis hopes to continue the progress made during the 2013 season which saw the most wins in program history; Southern Vermont notched a 9-21 record last year including a 6-12 mark in the NECC. Davis assisted that team after being a Mountaineer for four years and graduating from SVC in 2012.
Davis returns nine players from a season ago, eight being starters, including sophomore captain Rachel Robtoy (Baltic, Conn.) and both Mountaineer starting pitchers: juniors Hayley McDonald (Latham, N.Y.) and Emily Fleming (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). Four new faces round out Davis' crew that is working hard on making the NECC postseason for the first time in program history.
Robtoy made only three errors in 31 total chances at second base last year, looking to once again support a strong defense that was tied with Regis College for making the second-fewest errors in the NECC on the season (68). Fleming (.303) and McDonald (.293) recorded the fourth and fifth-best team batting averages, respectively, in 2013 while McDonald also knocked out two homers and was second on the Mountaineers in slugging percentage at .421.
"I am excited to see this team succeed on the field the same way as it does off of it and continue to make strides in this programs' success," commented Davis. "Our fans should expect to see a continuing change in culture with a group that has its core returning in addition to a strong and competitive freshman class."
Southern Vermont opens up the season March 2 with a doubleheader against Brandeis University at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, N.H. before embarking on its annual trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for the Snowbird Softball Classic. The Mountaineers then return to the Northeast to open up NECC play with a pair at Elms College on March 27 before holding their home opener with Mass. College of Liberal Arts on April 3. Additional non-conference matchups include Williams College (April 9), SUNY Cobleskill (April 15), and Pine Manor College (April 22).
2014 NECC Softball Coaches Poll NECC RELEASE
1. Lesley (9)
2. Newbury
T3. Elms (1)
T3. Becker
5. Mitchell
6. Regis
7. Bay Path
8. Daniel Webster
9. Southern Vt.
10. Wheelock
(Parentheses denote first-place votes)