February 16, 2011

Quinnipiac Softball Selected Fourth In 2011 Northeast Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll

HAMDEN, Conn. - The Quinnipiac University softball team has been selected to finish fourth in the 2011 Northeast Conference Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll, as announced by the league office on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The Bobcats made a Northeast Conference Tournament appearance in 2010 after posting an overall record of 28-24 and 15-5 in NEC play. Long Island was chosen as the preseason favorite with nine first-place votes, while Monmouth was selected to finish second in the Coaches Poll, receiving two first-place tallies.

Following the top-two teams were Robert Morris and Quinnipiac in the third and fourth spots. Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut State landed in the fifth and sixth slots, respectively, while Wagner was tabbed seventh on the list. Mount St. Mary's occupied the eighth spot, while Bryant and Saint Francis (Pa.) were tied to finish in ninth. Rounding out the poll was Fairleigh Dickinson in 11^th place.

2011 Northeast Conferenece Softball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Long Island (9)
2. Monmouth (2)
3. Robert Morris
4. Quinnipiac
5. Sacred Heart
6. Central Connecticut State
7. Wagner
8. Mount St. Mary's
T9. Bryant
Saint Francis (Pa.)

Leading Quinnipiac in the upcoming 2011 season is two-time All-Northeast Conference pitcher Heather Schwartzburg (Mission Viejo, Calif.), who garned NEC Rookie of the Year honors in 2009 and earned a First Team selection in 2010. Schwartzburg has broke the Quinnipiac single-season strikeout record in each of her two seasons as a Bobcat. Alex Alba (Sylmar, Calif.) brought home Rookie of the Year honors in 2010. Senior captain Joelle Jacobsen (Flemington, N.J.) will lead a deep Quinnipiac roster that features 12 veteran players in addition to five freshman and two junior transfers from Iowa Lakes Community College in Ashley Heiberger (Sioux Falls, S.D) and Christy Cabrera (Reno, Nev.).

The Bobcats play its first games of the 2011 season at the Lancer Lead-Off Classic in Longwood, Va. On Saturday, Feb. 19 and Sunday, Feb. 20. Quinnipiac will face IUPI, Army and Longwood in the tournament.