Fairfield Selected as Favorites to Repeat in MAAC Softball
MAAC Sports
Edison, NJ – The Fairfield University Stags softball team has been picked as the preseason favorite to win back-to-back Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) titles, according to a vote of the league’s 11 head coaches. The Stags received 109 total points, with four of the 11 first place votes.
The defending 2015 MAAC champions, Fairfield University, finished its 2015 season with a 15-5 league record and 25-24 overall mark. The Stags ended the regular season winning six of its last seven league games en route to a share of the MAAC regular season crown. Fairfield will be led by 2015 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and tournament MVP, senior outfielder Lauren Filicia.
2015 MAAC regular season co-champions, Canisius College, finished second in the coaches’ poll earning three first place votes to total 92 points. The Griffs closed out the 2015 campaign with a league best, 26-19 overall record and 15-5 MAAC mark. Canisius also boasted a conference best 9-1 record in home MAAC regular season games. 2015 Lids Team Sports MAAC Coach of the Year, Kim Griffin, will look to guide the Griffs in 2016 with the junior duo and all-league members of Jessica Berzins and Lindsey Silfer, and 2015 Rookie of the Year, pitcher Erika Mackie.
Manhattan College finished third in the poll, receiving 91 points with two first place votes, while Iona College checked in at fourth place with 85 points. Marist College earned the final two first place votes and earned 80 coaches’ votes to round out the top five. 2015 MAAC Championship runner-ups, Monmouth University picked up 79 votes for a sixth place spot in the polls, while Siena College earned 75 total points for a seventh place finish. Coming in eighth were Quinnipiac University (42), followed by Rider University (29), Niagara University (25) and Saint Peter’s (19).
Senior catcher Elena Bowman of Manhattan College was selected as the 2016 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. The San Mateo, California native, was voted as a unanimous selection to the preseason All-MAAC team after being named unanimous choices as the 2015 MAAC Player of the Year and to the All-MAAC First Team. Bowman also garnered Capital One Academic All-American First Team, ECAC All-Star First Team, and All-Northeast Region Second Team accolades during the 2015 season.
The preseason All-MAAC team consists of Bowman at the catcher position. Joining her in the infield are Kristen Turner of Iona, Maureen Duddy and Kyrsten Van Natta of Marist, and Dana Sensi from Rider. Canisius’ Jessica Berzins, Fairfield’s Lauren Filicia, Marist’s Colleen McWilliams, and Monmouth’s Chloe Howerth make up the outfield. The designated player is Lindsey Silfer from Canisius, while the utility players are the Manhattan duo of Briana Matazinsky and Jenn Vazquez. Selected as the pitchers are Canisius’ Mackie, Iona’s Carly Argyle and Marist’s Jayne Oberdorf.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
|
1.
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Fairfield (4)
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109
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|
2.
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Canisius (3)
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92
|
|
3.
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Manhattan (2)
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91
|
|
4.
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Iona
|
85
|
|
5.
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Marist (2)
|
80
|
|
6.
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Monmouth
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79
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|
7.
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Siena
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75
|
|
8.
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Quinnipiac
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42
|
|
9.
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Rider
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29
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|
10.
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Niagara
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25
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|
11.
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Saint Peter’s
|
19
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Preseason All-MAAC Team
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Elena Bowman*
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Catcher
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Manhattan
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Kristen Turner
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INF
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Iona
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Maureen Duddy
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INF
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Marist
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|
Kyrsten Van Natta
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INF
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Marist
|
|
Dana Sensi
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INF
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Rider
|
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Jessica Berzins
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OF
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Canisius
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|
Lauren Filicia
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OF
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Fairfield
|
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Colleen McWilliams
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OF
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Marist
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|
Chloe Howerth
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OF
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Monmouth
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|
Lindsey Silfer
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DP
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Canisius
|
|
Briana Matazinsky
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UT
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Manhattan
|
|
Jenn Vazquez
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UT
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Manhattan
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|
Erika Mackie
|
P
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Canisius
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|
Carly Argyle
|
P
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Iona
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|
Jayne Oberdorf
|
P
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Marist
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Preseason Player of the Year
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Elena Bowman
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Catcher
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Manhattan
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*Denotes unanimous selection