2007 SOFTBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
 

PENN STATE BEHREND PICKED
TO REPEAT AS SOFTBALL CHAMPS
 


Seven out of ten coaches have picked Penn State Behrend to repeat as Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference champions in 2007.  Pitt-Bradford, a three-time champion, was selected in the #2 spot.  Both teams went to the national tournament last season, the Behrend Lions with the conference automatic bid and the Panthers as a member of the highly competitive at-large pool.

Behrend Lions' sophomore pitcher Julie Koman (McKees Rocks, PA/Montour HS) was the runaway choice as Preseason Pitcher of the Year.  The AMCC Player and Newcomer of the Year last season, Koman finished nationally ranked in strikeouts per seven innings (10.6), earned run average (0.99), and wins (20). 

Medaille College junior catcher Amanda Baker (Lyons, NY/Newark HS) was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year.   Baker hit .299 last season with 19 RBI and a .380 slugging percentage/  Defensively she had a near-perfect .982 fielding percentage.  A basketball standout as well, Baker was the AMCC Player and Newcomer of the Year in 2005, as well as third team All-American. 
                            

AMCC
SOFTBALL POLL
Preseason Rankings*

1 - Penn State Behrend (1)
2 - Pitt-Bradford (2)
3 - Frostburg State (4)
4 - Medaille (7)
5 - Lake Erie (3)
6 - La Roche (6)
7- Penn State Altoona (8)
8 - Pitt-Greensburg (8)
9 - Hilbert (9)
10 - Mount Aloysius (10)

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2006


Preseason Player of the Year
 AMANDA BAKER
Medaille College

 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
JULIE KOMAN
Penn State Behrend
 

OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH...

FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
Head Coach Wes Landrum (3rd year)
2006:  13-5 AMCC, 24-18 overall


JR C Amanda Baldwin (Baltimore, MD/North County  HS)...First team All-AMCC in 2006...Fifth team Region 1 All-American...hit .307 on the season.

SR OF/P Lori Potts (Purcellville, VA/Loudon Valley HS)...Missed last season due to injury...first team All-AMCC as a freshman and sophomore.
 

HILBERT COLLEGE
Head Coach Kerry Levett (1st year)
2006:  4-12 AMCC, 8-23 overall


SR P Meghan Gollaher (Rochester, NY/Spencerport HS)...Threw 50 Ks in 125 innings pitched...4.98 ERA...also had 10 RBI.

SO 2B/C Kelly Goodwin (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls HS)...Hit .360 last season with a .382 on base percentage...made 5 double plays...Hilbert Athlete of the Month (April 2006).
 

LA ROCHE COLLEGE
Head Coach Orie Gentile (11th year)
2006:  8-10 AMCC, 20-15 overall


JR P Bethany Peracchino (Sidman, PA/Forest Hills HS) ...Record of 13-8 last season...2.18 ERA with 129 strikeouts.

SR 3B/C Kim Moore (Warren, OH/Howland HS)...All-AMCC first team designated player in 2006...hit .429 with 8  home runs and 9 doubles.
 

LAKE ERIE COLLEGE
Head Coach Gary VanCauwenberge (5th Year)
 2006:  14-4 AMCC, 26-16 overall


SR 1B/P Sarah Miller (Covington, KY/Holmes HS)... Second team All-AMCC last season...led team in HR, second in runs, total bases, RBI, and slugging percentage...2.94 ERA with 10 wins...earned both pitcher and player of the week conference honors.

SR OF Jen Dodge (Painesville, OH/Riverside HS)...Second team all conference in 2006...struck out just 4 times all year and committed only 1 error.
 

MEDAILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach Robyn Ventura (6th Year)
2006:  7-11 AMCC, 18-25 overall


SR P Michelle Peruzzini (Cheektowaga, NY/John F. Kennedy HS)...Workhorse of the Mavericks' lineup with a 17-19 record in 2006...struck out 217 in 248.1 innings pitched...recorded 5 shutouts and a 3.08 ERA...All-AMCC honorable mention.

JR C Amanda Baker (Lyons, NY/Newark HS)...Hit .299 last season with 19 RBI and a .380 slugging percentage...defensively had a near-perfect .982 fielding percentage...AMCC Player and Newcomer of the Year in 2005, as well as third team All-American.
 

MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE
Head Coach John Hammond (2nd year)
 2006:  1-13 AMCC, 4-16 overall


SO 3B April Trexel (Stoystown, PA/North Star HS)... Hit .344 as a freshman.
 

PENN STATE ALTOONA
Head Coach Brenda Palmer (6th year)
2006:  5-13 AMCC, 7-15 overall


SR 2B Amanda Shomo (Fallen Timber, PA/Glendale HS)...Among the conference leaders in every category throughout her career...in 2006 she led the Lions in BA (.333), slugging percentage (.500), runs (14) and hits (22).

JR 1B Jessica Ross (Greenscastle, PA/James Buchanan HS)...A strong offensive leader for the Lions last season...she hit .304 with a .446 slugging percentage.
 

PENN STATE BEHREND
Head Coach Stacy Pondo (4th year)
 2006:  16-2 AMCC, 34-10 overall


SR 1B Kristin Macha (Export, PA/Franklin Regional HS)...In 2006 hit .470 to lead the conference...named All-AMCC first team for past two seasons...named ECAC Southern Region all-star as a sophomore...also earned AMCC academic all-conference recognition.

SO P Julie Koman (McKees Rocks, PA/Montour HS)...The 2006 AMCC Player and Newcomer of the Year...will leave her mark in the Behrend record books in most pitching statistics...finished nationally ranked in strikeouts per seven innings (10.6), earned run average (0.99), and wins (20).
 

PITT-BRADFORD
Head Coach Tina Phillips (4th year)
2006:  16-2 AMCC, 35-9 overall


SR P Kristy Zavinski (Warren, PA/Warren HS)...Finished 2006 at 18-5...Ranked #2 in AMCC with a 1.43 ERA...fanned 75 while walking only 9...two-time All-AMCC second team selection.

SR CF Catrina Retterer (Claredon, PA/Sheffield HS)...First team all-conference last season...hit .341 including 10 doubles and 4 triples...46 hits and 31 runs scored.
 

PITT-GREENSBURG
Head Coach Dana Leviere (1st year)
2006:  4-14 AMCC, 5-27 overall


SO 3B Kelly Welsh (Pittsburgh, PA/Oakland Catholic HS)...First team All-AMCC last season...batted .411 with 11 doubles and 18 RBI.

SO C Amber Dongilli (Perryopolis, PA/Belle Vernon HS)...Finished last season with a .298 batting average, including 3 doubles and 2 triples...led the team with 5 stolen bases.