2012 SOFTBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
 


 MOUNT ALOYSIUS FAVORED TO WIN
FIRST AMCC TITLE
 


With seven of 10 first place votes, Mount Aloysius College is the overwhelming favorite to win the AMCC title in 2012.  Twice a regular season conference champion, the Mounties have yet to make it to the national stage in the post-season but appear poised to make it happen.  D'Youville College, who upset Mount Aloysius in the AMCC championship game in 2011, were picked in the number two spot, while Penn St. Altoona and four-time champion Pitt-Bradford came in tied for third.

There are no surprises in the individual awards categories.  Preseason Player of the Year go to Medaille College outfielder/pitcher Kristen Rohe, who was the 2011 conference Player of the Year.  The senior posted a league-best .532 batting average and conference-high .785 slugging percentage, smacking 42 hits, including 9 doubles, a triple and 3 HR.  She also delivered 22 RBI to co-lead the team.

Preseason Pitcher of the Year is D'Youville College senior Hannah Norton, the 2011 AMCC Pitcher of the Year.  Norton broke the Spartans' single season winning record with 16 wins last season and led the team to the AMCC championship.  She was selected all-conference at two different positions, first team for pitcher and second team for designated player.

The AMCC kicks off conference play on Saturday, March 24, and the championship will be May 4-6 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 - Mount Aloysius (1)
2 - D'Youville (2)
T-3 - Pitt-Bradford (T-3)
T-3- Penn State Altoona (T-3)
7 - Medaille (7)
5 - Penn State Behrend (6)
6 - La Roche (5)
8 - Pitt-Greensburg (8)
9 - Hilbert (10)
10 - Franciscan (9)

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2011.


Preseason Player of the Year
KRISTEN ROHE
Medaille College
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
HANNAH NORTON
D'Youville College
 

OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH...

D'YOUVILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach Angela Churchill (2nd year)
 2011:   14-4 AMCC, 21-10 overall


SR P Hannah Norton (Wyoming, NY/Pavilion HS):  AMCC Pitcher of the Year in 2011... broke the Spartans' single season winning record with 16 wins...selected all-conference at two different positions, first team for pitcher and second team for designated player.

SO 3B Shannon Sutton (Lykens, PA/Upper Dauphin HS)...Hit .333 with 6 extra base hits last season...posted a team-best .486 slugging percentage.
 

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY
Head Coach Terry Leighty (2nd year)
 2011:   2-16 AMCC, 3-27 overall


SO C Dani Pillar (Allentown, NJ/Allentown HS)...Hit .333 in an abbreviated 2011 season.

FR 2B Katrina Fabian (Steubenville, OH/Catholic Central HS)...Top freshman with outstanding power...expected to start at second base.
 

HILBERT COLLEGE
Head Coach Lisa Baker (1st year)
2011: 0-18 AMCC, 1-26 overall


SR P Emili Ripley (Batavia, NY/Notre Dame HS)...Hit .329 at the plate with 10 extra base hits, 13 RBI’s and was 7 for 7 in stolen base attempts in 2011...had a .941 fielding percentage, and 35 putouts.

SR C Jill Martucci (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg HS)...Posted a .361 batting average with 7 extra base hits, 11 RBI, and 7 stolen bases out of 10 attempts...stellar defensively, with a .939 fielding percentage.
 

LA ROCHE COLLEGE
Head Coach Orie Gentile (15th year)
2011:  12-6 AMCC, 17-18 overall


JR SS Jodi Walsh (Russelton, PA/Deer Lakes HS)...Hit .314 last season...defensively accounted for 40 put outs with 47 assists and a .934 fielding percentage. 

SO P Deanna Tritinger (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny HS)...Posted a 5.34 ERA in her rookie campaign with a 5-3 record...recorded a standout .967 fielding percentage.
 

MEDAILLE COLLEGE
Head Coach Laura Edholm (2nd Year)
2011:  6-12 AMCC, 8-20 overall


SR P/OF Kristen Rohe (Buffalo, NY/Cleveland Hill HS)...AMCC Player of the Year in 2011 with a league-best .532 batting average and conference high .785 slugging percentage... smacked 42 hits, including 9 doubles, a triple and 3 HR...also delivered 22 RBI to co-lead the team.

SR 3B/1B Katie Griffin (Hometown: Gowanda, NY/Gowanda HS)...Recorded a .351 batting average with 26 hits and 22 RBI and a .419 slugging percentage.
 

MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE
Head Coach Carl Teeter (5th year)
 2011:  15-3 AMCC, 26-10 overall


SO CF Jalisa Westover (Flinton PA/Faith Tabernacle HS)...Second team all-conference in 2011...recorded the 7th highest batting average in the AMCC with .398...scored 20 runs on 33 hits, including 5 doubles and 7 triples to lead the league. 

SO P Shelby Kline (Pine Grove Mills, PA/State College HS)...First team all-conference selection as a freshman...started 19 games...recorded the second lowest ERA in conference at 1.52...posted a 15-4 record with 83 strikeouts, 29 walks and 25 earned runs.
 

PENN STATE ALTOONA
Head Coach Fred Caldwell (3rd year)
2011:  13-5 AMCC, 25-14 overall


SO 2B Brittany Smith (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte HS)...Named the AMCC Co-Newcomer of the Year in 2011...also earned first team All-AMCC honors...led the Lady Lions in batting average, hitting .408 in 37 games...also posted team-highs in hits (51), runs scored (34), doubles (14), and runs batted in (27)...tied for the team lead in triples with two...ranked second on the squad with 15 stolen bases...first in the AMCC with 75 total bases.

JR SS Kahla Lutz (York, PA/West York HS)...Started 34 of 36 games last season...led the squad with 4 home runs...fifth on the team in batting average, hitting .324...second in runs batted in with 26...went 11-for-12 in stolen bases...scored 22 runs.
 

PENN STATE BEHREND
Head Coach Stacy Pondo (9th year)
 2011:  10-8 AMCC, 15-17 overall


SR C Amy Greene (Erie, PA/Strong Vincent HS)...First-Team All-AMCC last season…team co-MVP…ranked first on the squad with a .400 batting average…led the team with 38 hits and 22 runs…split time between catcher and first base, starting all 32 games of the season…tallied 24 RBI and 4 home runs...recorded a .987 fielding percentage committing only 2 errors. 

SR 3B Ashley Gruber (Burton, OH/Berkshire HS)...Third-team All-AMCC in 2011…team co-MVP…winner of team Scholarship/Leadership Award…hit.348 and led the team with 11 doubles and 6 home runs…named team representative to AMCC All-Sportsmanship Team…started 31 games at third base.
 

PITT-BRADFORD
Head Coach Tina Phillips (9th year)
2011:  13-5 AMCC, 15-19 overall


SR OF Lauren Kinniburgh (Smethport, PA/Smethport HS)...All-AMCC first team selection for past two seasons...in 2011 cranked out 38 hits, including 6 doubles and 5 HR, third best in the conference...her .358 batting average led to 23 RBI.

SR SS Erikka Rosplock (Elmira, NY/Southside HS)...Ranked third in the conference in hits (42), and eighth in doubles (10)...posted a .359 batting average with 21 runs scored and 19 RBI.
 

PITT-GREENSBURG
Head Coach Bill Monstrola (3rd year)
2011:  5-13 AMCC, 9-23 overall


SR OF Danielle Straub (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury HS)...First team all-conference selection last season with a .461 batting average and .528 on base percentage.

SO SS Kelly Daniels (Imperial, PA/West Allegheny HS)...Named third team all-AMCC as a freshman...hit .371 with 32 runs scored...led the Panthers with 22 stolen bases in 27 attempts.