2010 SOFTBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
 


 PENN STATE BEHREND EXPECTED
TO REPEAT AS SOFTBALL CHAMPS
 


Two-time defending champion Penn State Behrend is the coaches' choice to "three-peat" for the AMCC championship.  The Behrend Lions earned seven first place votes.  Mount Aloysius College, the 2009 runner-up in the regular season, was picked as the top challenger, with Frostburg State University ranked third.

Frostburg State University outfielder Brooke Tapman (Pocomoke, MD/Pocomoke HS) was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year.  The junior was a first team All-AMCC and NFCA First Team Atlantic Region and ECAC South All-Star in 2009.  She hit .443 with 15 HR and 43 RBI, with an on-base percentage of .519.  Tapman led the AMCC in hits, runs scored, homeruns and RBI last season, and was tied for third in the country in total HR.Penn State Behrend sophomore Emma Hahn (Smethport, PA/Smethport HS) was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year.  She went 10-4 and had 9 complete games as a freshman, boasting an ERA of 1.51 with 91 strikeouts.  Hahn also threw two no-hitters in her rookie year.

This season the conference welcomes D'Youville College, formerly of the North Eastern Athletic Conference, to its ranks.  The AMCC kicks off conference play on Saturday, March 27, and the championship will be May 7-9 at the site of the top seed.  The winner of the tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
                            

AMCC
SOFTBALL POLL
Preseason Rankings*

1 - Penn State Behrend (1)
2 - Mount Aloysius (2)
3 - Frostburg State (T5)
4 - Medaille (T3)
5 - Pitt-Greensburg (T3)
T6 - Pitt-Bradford (7)
T6 - La Roche (T5)
8- Penn State Altoona (8)
9 - D'Youville (N/A)
T10 - Hilbert (9)
T10 - Franciscan (10)

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2009


Preseason Player of the Year
 BROOKE TAPMAN
Frostburg State University

 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
EMMA HAHN
Penn State Behrend
 

OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH...

D'YOUVILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach Anna Nagro (3rd year)
 2009:   17-17 overall


SO P Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavillion HS)...Third team All-NEAC in 2009...held a 2.94 ERA and in 112 IP recorded 116 strikeouts, best in the NEAC...16 RBI and a .265 batting average as a freshman 

SO 1B Brittany Barren (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West HS)...Second team All-NEAC last season...led the Spartans with a .371 batting average and .467 slugging percentage...ranked fourth in the NEAC in RBI (26), fourth in doubles (10) and fifth in hits (39).
 

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY
Head Coach Jennifer Biela (1st year)
 2009:   1-17 AMCC, 1-26 overall


JR INF Lara Plumlee (Long Beach, CA/Milikan HS)...Started 14 of 16 games last season, hitting .238 with a .304 on base percentage...3-3 in stolen base attempts...also pitched 28.2 innings, striking out 7.
FR RHP Shelbi Linscomb (Lake Jackson, TX/Brazoswood HS)…District 24 5-A (TX) Pitcher of the Year ...first team all-district.
 

FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
Head Coach Wes Landrum (5th year)
2009:  10-8 AMCC, 26-18 overall


JR OF Brooke Tapman (Pocomoke, MD/Pocomoke HS)...First Team All-AMCC...NFCA First Team Atlantic Region and ECAC South All-Star...hit .443 with 15 HR and 43 RBI in 2009...On base percentage of .519...led the AMCC in hits, runs scored, homeruns and RBI...tied for third in the country in total HR.

SO P Megan Magee (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Holy Spirit HS)...Record of 16-8 last season with a 1.60 ERA...threw 5 shutouts while striking out 141...second team All-AMCC...led the conference in innings pitched, strikeouts and appearances.
 

HILBERT COLLEGE
Head Coach Peter Yuhas (1st year)
2009:  2-16 AMCC, 6-31 overall


SR 2B Rachel Parker (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg HS)...All-AMCC second team selection in 2009...ranked #2 in the league with a .450 BA...slugged 5 HR...fielding percentage of .964.

SR 1B Sarah Collins (Milroy, PA/Indian Valley HS)...AMCC all-conference honorable mention last season...hit .354 with a .963 fielding percentage.
 

LA ROCHE COLLEGE
Head Coach Orie Gentile (14th year)
2009:  10-8 AMCC, 17-18 overall


SR 1B Kayla Strittmater (Irwin, PA/Penn Trafford HS)...Ranked first in Div. III in triples per game (9 total)...hit .353 with a .714 slugging percentage...also contributed 20 RBI.

SO 2B Autumn Hubert (Pittsburgh, PA/Avonworth HS)...Second team all-conference in 2009...ranked #5 in the league with a .438 BA...led the Redhawks in hits (43) and RBI (27).
 

MEDAILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach Laura Edholm (1st Year)
2009:  11-7 AMCC, 20-19 overall


JR OF Carrie Stahura (Depew, NY/Depew HS)...AMCC second team all-conference in 2009...hit .331 with a .463 slugging percentage. 

JR C/IF Alyssa Zemla (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg HS)...Batted .389 last season...smacked 13 HR with .861 slugging percentage.
 

MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE
Head Coach Carl Teeter (3rd year)
 2009:  14-4 AMCC, 27-12 overall


JR CF Andie O'Neal (Fishertown, PA/Chestnut Ridge HS)...First team all-AMCC in 2008 and second team in 2009...hit .319 with 44 hits and 21 RBI...went 10-12 in stolen base attempts...no fielding errors all year.

JR C Whitney Giedroc (Howard, PA/Bald Eagle HS)...Hit .352 with 46 hits (tied for second best in the league) including 4HR...also ranked second in the conference with 38 RBI...all-AMCC honorable mention in 2009.
 

PENN STATE ALTOONA
Head Coach Fred Caldwell (1st year)
2009:  4-14 AMCC, 7-27 overall


SO 3B Erin Cline (Murrysville, PA/Franklin HS)...Enjoyed a breakout freshman campaign, starting every game and batting .389...smacked 37 hits including 9 doubles, 4 triples, and 6 home runs...drove in 34 runners while striking out only 14 times.

SO 2B Alanna Luzier (Frenchville, PA/Clearfield HS)...As a freshman Luzier played and started in every game...batted .314 for the season with 33 hits, including 7 doubles...led the conference in stolen bases reaching safely in 16 of 17 attempts.
 

PENN STATE BEHREND
Head Coach Stacy Pondo (7th year)
 2009:  18-0 AMCC, 33-8 overall


SO C Amy Greene (Erie, PA/Strong Vincent HS)...First team All-Conference selection and Newcomer of the Year in 2009...batted .409 with 45 hits and 30 RBIs…ECAC South Region Rookie of the Year.

SO P Emma Hahn (Smethport, PA/Smethport HS)...Most experienced pitcher on the mound entering the season...went 10-4 and had 9 complete games as a freshman...ERA of 1.51 with 91 strikeouts...threw two no-hitters.
 

PITT-BRADFORD
Head Coach Tina Phillips (7th year)
2009:  9-9 AMCC, 17-18 overall


JR C Lauryn Weaver (Port Matilda, PA/Bald Eagle HS)...National Fastpitch Pitch Coaches Assocation All-East Region second team in 2009...hit .389 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homeruns...42 hits and 27 RBI...6 pick-offs.

SR P/DP Jillian Kreitzer (Horseheads, NY/Notre Dame HS)...Record of 8-6 last season with 3 shutouts...4.14 ERA...hit .324.
 

PITT-GREENSBURG
Head Coach Dana Munchinski (4th year)
2009:  11-7 AMCC, 17-16 overall


JR C Jennifer Dempsey (Pittsburgh, PA/Keystone Oaks HS)...Hit .333 in 2009 with a .993 fielding percentage.

SR P/1B Taylor Kimmel (Volant, PA/Neshannok HS)...Record of 10-5 last season with 73 strikeouts...hit .482 with 5 HR...stellar .999 fielding percentage.