Defending CACC & Regional Champ WilmU Tops 2024 Softball Preseason Poll
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (January 30, 2024) -- Defending conference and NCAA East Region Champion Wilmington University on Tuesday was tabbed first in the 2024 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Softball Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced by Commissioner Dan Mara. The Wildcats earned 121 points and 11 of 12 first-place votes, as the voting for the poll was conducted by the league's 12 head coaches in the sport.
WilmU defeated Georgian Court University in the 2023 final to lock up the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament, which the Wildcats captured to advance to the Division II World Series for the first time in program history.
Rounding out the top three included University of Bridgeport in second place with 108 points and the final first-place nod. UB reached the final three of last spring's double-elimination tournament in the program's first year in the CACC. Georgian Court University rounded out the top three with 91 points -- one point ahead of fourth place Felician University.
The 2024 CACC Softball regular season gets underway in early February with several teams in non-conference action. The regular season will be a buildup to the 2024 CACC Softball Championship in early May, with the first round at the highest seeds on April 27, followed by the four-team double-elimination tournament on May 2-4 at Wilmington University in Delaware. The winner of the CACC Championship will earn the league's AQ to the regional tournament.
1. Wilmington University 121 (11)
2. University of Bridgeport 108 (1)
3. Georgian Court University 91
4. Felician University 90
5. Caldwell University 87
6. Holy Family University 68
7. Goldey-Beacom College 62
8. Thomas Jefferson University 44
9. Post University 42
10. Bloomfield College 38
11. Dominican University 25
12. Chestnut Hill College 16
() - First-Place Votes
ABOUT THE CACC
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference composed of 12 institutions in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The member institutions are Bloomfield College, University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican (N.Y.) University, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.