Softball Selected Fifth in America East Pre-Season Poll
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine softball team has been selected to finish fifth in the 2013 America East pre-season poll, as announced by the conference on Monday afternoon. The Black Bears received 18 votes in the poll, just one vote out of fourth place.
Albany and Boston University each received 32 total votes and three first-place votes to tie for first place in the poll. Stony Brook received one first place vote and 30 total tallies in third place. Binghamton was voted to finish fourth with 19 votes, just one vote ahead of the Black Bears who received 18 votes in fifth. Hartford received 10 points in sixth place while UMBC rounded out the field with seven points.
Maine (17-30-1, 8-9-1) qualified for the America East Championship for the second time in three years last season and return 12 letterwinners from that squad. A pair of second-team All-America East standouts, catcher EmJ Fogel (Vienna, Va.) (.331, 14 RBI) and first baseman Hilary Kane (Concord, N.H.) (.225, 16 RBI), will carry the Maine lineup while Beth Spoehr (Appleton, Wis.) and Kylie Sparks (Kirkland, Wash.) are the two returning pitchers on the roster. Jessica Burk (Warrenton, Va.), an All-Rookie team member a year ago, also returns to bolster the Maine lineup. The Black Bears weclome five newcomers to the 2013 squad, including a pair of transfers.
Lynn Coutts returns for her second season and the Black Bears are the first America East team to kick off their season and do so Feb. 8 at USC Upstate's tournament.
2013 America East Softball Preseason Poll
Rank Team (1st-place votes) Points
1. Albany (3) 32
Boston U. (3)
3. Stony Brook (1) 30
4. Binghamton 19
5. Maine 18
6. Hartford 10
7. UMBC 7
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