Iona College Tabbed as Preseason Favorite for 2011 MAAC Softball Season
MAAC Sports
Edison, N.J. - Iona College has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2011 MAAC Softball Championship, according to a poll voted on by the league's head coaches.
Iona, the defending MAAC Champion, finished with 73 points in the poll, while Canisius College finished second (71). Niagara University placed third with 63 points. Manhattan College took fourth place (50), followed by Fairfield University (41), Siena College (33), Marist College (32), Rider University (29) and Saint Peter's College (9).
Niagara senior infielder Teresa Healy was named the 2011 MAAC Softball Preseason Player of the Year. Healy, the 2010 MAAC Player of the Year, led the MAAC in batting average (.446), slugging percentage (.741) and hits (62) last season. She finished her junior campaign with a school single-season record of 44 RBI. Healy enters her senior season on the brink of becoming Niagara's all-time leader in batting average, runs, hits, RBI, home runs and doubles.
Joining Healy in the infield are Canisius' Paige Freiberger, Iona's Allyssa James and Siena's Shannon Jones. Niagara's Becky Zill is the catcher. In the outfield are Canisius' Lizzy Gatto and Lauren Hope along with Iona's Jodi Petersen. Manhattan's Jaci Rahey is the designated player, while Fairfield's Kristina Lingo is the utility player. Iona's Sarah Jackson rounds out the Preseason All-MAAC Team as the pitcher.
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2011 MAAC Softball Preason Coaches' Poll
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2011 MAAC Softball Preseason Team
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1.
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Iona
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73
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Becky Zill
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Catcher
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Niagara
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2.
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Canisius
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71
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Paige Freiberger
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Infield
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Canisius
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3.
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Niagara
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63
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Allyssa James
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Infield
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Iona
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4.
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Manhattan
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50
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Teresa Healy
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Infield
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Niagara
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5.
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Fairfield
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41
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Shannon Jones
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Infield
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Siena
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6.
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Siena
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33
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Lizzy Gatto
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Outfield
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Canisius
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7.
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Marist
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32
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Lauren Hope
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Outfield
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Canisius
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8.
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Rider
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29
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Jodi Petersen
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Outfield
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Iona
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9.
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Saint Peter's
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9
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Jaci Rahey
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Designated Player
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Manhattan
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Kristina Lingo
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Utility
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Fairfield
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Sarah Jackson
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Pitcher
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Iona
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2011 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year: Teresa Healy, Niagara
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