Written by CACC Associate Commissioner Doug DeBiase
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - Georgian Court University was tabbed first in the 2021 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Softball Preseason Coaches Poll, which was announced on Thursday by Commissioner Dan Mara. The Lions, who won the 2019 CACC regular season crown and reached the conference final, earned 165 points in the voting, including four first-place votes. The voting for the poll was conducted by the league's 14 head coaches in the sport.
Caldwell University and Wilmington University rounded out the top three in the poll in second and third place, respectively. Caldwell earned 163 points in the voting, while WilmU logged 160 points. Both the Cougars and Wildcats each earned four first-place nods as well. Caldwell and WilmU have combined to win the last seven CACC Championships contested from 2013-19. The Cougars have won the title four times in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018, while the Wildcats have notched league crowns in 2014, 2016 and 2019. The 2020 CACC Softball Championship was canceled last spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dominican College (4th) and Post University (5th) were the other two schools to earn a first-place vote in the voting.
The Wildcats got off to a slow start last season before the pandemic ended the campaign. In facing a tough southern schedule last March, the Wildcats were ahead in games late, but couldn't close the door to finish off victories. The short season allowed a young pitching staff to accrue valuable innings and collegiate experience.
The Wildcats begin 2021 play with the start of the CACC schedule on Saturday, March 20. They host Nyack in a doubleheader at Asbury Field. First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m.
The 2021 regular season will be a build up to the CACC Softball Championship, which will be held the week of May 3-9. Dates and times for the week of competition are still to be determined and will be announced at a later date. This spring's tournament will feature structural changes for this year only. As in previous years, eight teams will qualify for the postseason, but 2021 will feature a single-elimination tournament. Each game in all three rounds (1st, semis & final) will be contested at the site of the highest seeds. The 2021 CACC Softball Champion will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament. More information on the 2021 CACC and NCAA Softball postseason will be announced in the near future as more details are finalized. As always, schedules and structures are subject to change based on the constantly evolving pandemic.
AGATE:
2021 CACC SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Georgian Court University 165 (4)
2. Caldwell University 163 (4)
3. Wilmington University 160 (4)
4. Dominican College 154 (1)
5. Post University 134 (1)
T7. Bloomfield College 98
T7. Felician University 98
9. Nyack College 89
10. University of the Sciences 71
11. Concordia College 59
12. Chestnut Hill College 57
13. Goldey-Beacom College 49
14. Holy Family University 45