Lehigh tabbed for repeat in Patriot League preseason poll
Posted: 02/08/2012
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After reclaiming its perch atop the Patriot League in softball in 2011, Lehigh was picked to repeat as Patriot League champions in 2012, as the league announced its softball preseason poll Wednesday. The Mountain Hawks garnered 48 points and eight out of 12 first place votes to edge Colgate in the poll, which was voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
The Mountain Hawks failed the claim the Patriot League’s regular season title for the second straight year, but were dominant in three victories en route to their 11th Patriot League tournament crown, including their sixth in the last eight years. Lehigh defeated Holy Cross 6-4 in the opening round of the tournament and then defeated top-seed Colgate twice on consecutive days by a combined 23-0 score. Lehigh’s 14-0, five-inning, championship-clinching win was the most lopsided win in Patriot League softball championship history. The Mountain Hawks went on to the NCAA College Park (Md.) Regional where they went 0-2 losing to Women’s College World Series participant Baylor, and host Maryland. Lehigh finished the season at 33-23 for the program’s 11th consecutive season with 30 or more victories.
As Lehigh prepares for the start of the 2012 season, 17th-year head coach Fran Troyan returns a wealth of talent, including 14 players from last year’s championship squad. The offense will be led by senior captains Julie Fernandez and Audra Wood along with junior captain and ECAC All-Star catcher Liz Lucas. The pitching staff is anchored by Patriot League tournament MVP junior Rebecca Bliss.
Colgate garnered 44 points and the remaining four first-place votes to claim second place in the poll. Army finished third with 30 points, while Holy Cross placed fourth with 26. Bucknell and Lafayette tied for fifth place with 16 points apiece.
The college softball season officially begins Friday, but Lehigh has two more weeks of preparation before the Mountain Hawks open the 2012 campaign at the Wolfpack Challenge February 24-26 in Raleigh, N.C. The Mountain Hawks will face Kent State and N.C. State on Friday February 24 and Pittsburgh and Toledo on February 25, before wrapping up the weekend against Georgetown on February 26.
2012 Patriot League Softball Preseason Poll
|
Team (# first place votes)
|
Points
|
|
1. LEHIGH (8)
|
48
|
|
2. Colgate (4)
|
44
|
|
3. Army
|
30
|
|
4. Holy Cross
|
26
|
|
5. Bucknell
|
16
|
|
5. Lafayette
|
16
|