HOFSTRA PICKED TO REPEAT AS 2009 CAA SOFTBALL CHAMPION

2/6/2009 5:00:00 AM

RICHMOND, Va. (February 6, 2009) ? For the second year in a row, Hofstra was the unanimous pick to collect the 2009 Colonial Athletic Association softball title based on the votes by the league’s eight head coaches.

Hofstra, the seven time conference champion, received all possible first-place votes as coaches weren’t allow to vote for their own team. The Pride finished atop the poll with 49 points. James Madison, last year’s runner-up due to a 3-0 loss to the Pride, received one first-place vote and finished second in the poll with 42 points. Georgia State was picked third receiving 37 points, while Towson and Drexel followed with 29 and 28 points, respectively. Delaware and UNC Wilmington tied for sixth ahead of George Mason.

The Pride returns seven starters from their 2008 line-up, including two-time CAA Pitcher of the Year, senior Kayleigh Lotti, who led the league in opponent batting average (.153), strikeouts (241), wins (23) and saves (5). Marking Hofstra’s record book, the squad finished the season 45-13, collecting the most wins in school history. The Pride also welcomes back junior first baseman Michele DePasquale and senior second base Casey Fee, who both collected All-Region and All-Conference honors last season.

James Madison has seven starters returning from a team that went 32-22 and finished third in the CAA regular season at 14-6. The Dukes will be led by senior third base Amber Kirk, as she recorded a .324 batting average and 23 runs, and senior pitcher Meredith Felts, as they each earned first team All-CAA honors last season. Senior pitcher Jenny Clohan will also contribute in the circle for JMU.

Georgia State returns 13 letterwinners from last year’s squad that posted a 37-18 season and finished second in the league at 15-5. Sophomore catcher Catherine Lee, 2008 CAA Player and Rookie of the Year, returns to lead the Panthers after posting an impressive freshman season, posting a .411 batting average with a single-season school record 17 homeruns, and added 63 RBIs and 51 runs scored. Joining her will be senior outfielder Holly Willis and junior shortstop Rachel Cunningham, who each earned first team all-conference honors last spring.

The 2009 CAA softball championship will be held on May 6-8 at the sight of the regular-season champion.

2009 CAA SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
First place votes in parenthesis

1. Hofstra	49 (7)
2. James Madison	42 (1)
3. Georgia State	37
4. Towson	29
5. Drexel	28
6t. Delaware	14
6t. UNC Wilmington	14
8. George Mason	11