DeLand, Fla. ? The Stetson softball team, coming off its first Atlantic Sun conference tournament title and first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, has been tabbed first in the 2008 preseason poll. The voting, which was conducted by the 12 head coaches, was released by the conference office Thursday afternoon. Junior pitcher Erica Demers (Miami, Fla.), senior catcher Blythe Golden (Marianna, Fla.) and junior first baseman Andrea Migliori (Winter Garden, Fla.) were all named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Stetson was picked first with 138 points overall and garnered first-place nods from seven of the 12 coaches. The Hatters were also projected to win the Atlantic Sun Tournament, which the Hatters will host for the second year in a row. The tournament will be May 8-10 at Patricia Wilson Field.
“It's an honor to be respected by our peer opponents in this conference,” Head Coach Frank Griffin said. “With a majority of our players returning and some nice new additions, I am looking forward to another strong season. I hope my fellow coaches are correct in their predictions,” he added.
Kennesaw State, which won the regular season title last year, earned the other five first place votes and was picked second with 135 points. Brittany Matthews, the Lady Owl hurler that won 2007 Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year Honors, was also selected as the 2008 Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
North Florida and 2008 Preseason A-Sun Player of the Year Gwen Williams were tabbed for third place with 99 points. The Lady Ospreys were followed in the top six by 2007 A-Sun tournament finalists Gardner-Webb (91), East Tennessee State (85) and first-year member Florida Gulf Coast (84). The FGCU Eagles left Division II with a bang, going 62-8 in their final season and advancing to the NCAA Division II regional finals.
Lipscomb (82), Campbell (62), USC Upstate (60), Mercer (50), Jacksonville (30) and Belmont (20) rounded out the preseason poll.
Demers joined Matthews as the two pitchers picked for All-Conference honors as the junior righthander will attempt to become just the second pitcher ever to lead the A-Sun in earned run average three years in a row. The first to do it was former Hatter great Shannon Dowdy '94, who led the league each of her final three seasons. Demers was a Second Team All-Atlantic Sun and A-Sun All-Tournament Team selection in 2007.
Golden batted .277 with four doubles, a home run and six runs batted in during conference play in 2007 and hit four home runs overall. She started all 66 games at catcher last season and is expected to see the vast majority of the duty at the position again in 2008.
Migliori's selection to the preseason team comes as little surprise after her tremendous sophomore season that saw her bat .337 and set Stetson single-season records with 16 home runs and 58 RBI. Both totals led the Atlantic Sun Conference. She was named to the All-Conference Second Team and the All-Atlantic Sun Tournament Team.
The Hatters begin the 2008 season next weekend at Patricia Wilson Field in the Stetson Lead-Off Classic. The 23rd-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, the defending Big Ten champions, highlight the field, which also includes the University of Detroit Mercy and Marist College. Stetson's first game will be Friday, Feb. 8 at 4:30 p.m. against Detroit with a contest against Marist immediately afterwards.
Hatter fans can watch the webcast of the Stetson Lead-Off Classic and all home softball games, including neutral tournament contests, through Hatter Vision on the official Internet home of Stetson Athletics, www.gohatters.com. Jamie Bataille will broadcast all Stetson home and road softball contests in the 2008 season.
