Click Here for the 2009 NFCA Preseason Softball Poll

NEW HAVEN, CT - The Georgian Court University and Caldwell College softball teams are ranked according to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 Preseason Poll, which was released on January 28. The Lions were picked 17^th in the poll and the Cougars were tabbed 24^th. GCU is scheduled to kick off the season on March 1 at Flagler University in Florida before participating in the 2009 Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, FL. Caldwell will also start the season at the Rebel Games on March 14 against Le Moyne College.

Georgian Court won the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) regular-season championship last season and advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament with an overall record of 39-16. The Lions went 22-2 in regular-season conference play and served as the top seed in the CACC Tournament.

The 2008 CACC Pitcher of the Year, Samantha Sasko, will return to lead the Lions in her senior season. She accumulated a 27-10 overall record in 2008 and sported a 1.69 earned-run average. She led the CACC in victories and stood fourth in ERA and first in strikeouts with 283 in a league-leading 224.0 innings pitched. In addition to Sasko, the Lions welcome back first team All-CACC outfielder, Jessica Comiskey and second team pick, Mallory Kirchner.

The Lions will be led by the 2008 CACC Coach of the Year, Jeff Franquet. GCU finished 25^th in the final 2008 NFCA poll.

Caldwell won the CACC Tournament Championship last year over Georgian Court, winning the final game by a score of 11-4 and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional. The Cougars concluded the season with a 35-22 overall mark and finished second in the CACC regular-season standings with a 19-5 record.

The Cougars welcome back 11 players from last season's squad, including 2008 CACC Player of the Year, Gina Capardi. Capardi, a senior who plays second base, led the CACC in hits (79), runs batted in (51) and total bases (123). Furthermore, she tied for first in the CACC in runs scored with 52 and tied for second with four triples. Capardi earned first team All-America honors by both the NFCA and Daktronics in 2008. In addition to Capardi, Caldwell returns three first team All-CACC players in juniors Danielle Genovese and Kyrie Timbrook and sophomore Annie Forte.  

The Cougars finished 16^th in the final NFCA poll last season, and will be led by Dean Johnson, who is beginning his 15^th season as head coach.