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USA South Releases Pre-Season Softball Poll
Fayetteville, NC
– The USA South announced the softball preseason coaches'
poll today with defending USA South regular season and conference
tournament champions Methodist University at the top. Methodist
received five of the eight first-place votes for 46 points.
Greensboro College finished second with 39 points and two
first-place votes. Christopher Newport University rounded out the
top-three as the Captains collected 35 points. North Carolina
Wesleyan College received two-first place votes and were picked to
finish fourth.
Peace was picked 6th with just 19 votes, after loosing seven
starter’s from last season's club which finished the regular
season in 6th place in the conference (23-13, 5-9).
Despite loosing seven starters the Pacers will return one senior
and three juniors from last season. Senior Lauren Pleasant, three
time All-USA South pitcher and USA South Rookie of the year in
2004, will return to the mound for her final season with the
Pacers. Last season Pleasant was moved to center field due to an
injury to her pitching arm. Despite the injury, Pleasant led the
conference in on base percentage, and was 2nd in batting average.
With Pleasant injured, Junior Joanie Blevins was called upon last
season to take on most of the pitching duties. Blevins finished the
2005-06 season with record of 12-10 and was 4th in the USA South in
wins. Junior Kenni Seagroves paced the club on the defensive effort
ending last season with .964 fielding percentage. Coach Dobbins
brought in ten newcomers for the 2006-07 season along with Holly
Braswell, who played for Peace in 2004-05.
The first pitch of the 2006-07 season will be on Sunday, February
18th as Peace will host Guilford College at home in a double-header
at the Wachovia Athletic Park. Game time is set for 1:00 PM.
2007 USA South Softball Coaches Poll
Rank Institution (1st place Votes) Pts.
1. Methodist (5) 46
2. Greensboro (1) 39
3. Christopher Newport 35
4 N.C. Wesleyan (2) 33
5. Ferrum 29
6. Peace 19
7. Shenandoah 16
8. Averett 7
