Defending National Champions, Tompkins Cortland Leads NJCAA DIII Softball Preseason Poll

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The NJCAA Division III Softball Preseason Rankings are out and the defending national champion, Tompkins Cortland Community College (N.Y.) receives the number one spot to start the 2010 season.  Last year’s runner-up, College of DuPage (Ill.) falls in at number two, and just behind them is Monroe Community College who will start the season off at number three.  Rochester Community and Technical College (Minn.) takes the number four spot, and Brookdale Community College (N.J.) will start things off in the fifth spot.

Tompkins Cortland (N.Y.) enters the 2010 season as the defending national champions.  On their way to a national title they compiled a record of 35-12 in 2009. The greatest strength of Tompkins is their amount of experience.  The Panthers are returning ten players from last season, seven of whom are starters.  Leading the panthers in the circle is Lauren Dykeman.  Dykeman pitched 91.2 innings last year and had a record of 9-4.  Her ERA was 2.596 with 77 strikeouts and just 44 walks.  The offense will be led by left fielder Brooke Wierzbicki.  Wierzbicki hit .465 with three home runs, 32 RBI’s and six stolen bases during the 2009 season.  Other offensive threats are Colleen Bannon and Ashley Greenough.  Bannon hit .338 with six home runs, 30 RBI’s and 15 stolen bases.  Greenough had an average of .392 with 21 RBI’s and 23 stolen bases.

College of DuPage (Ill.) returns in 2010 looking make its 14^th straight tournament appearance and get another shot at the title after a difficult extra-inning loss to Tompkins Cortland in the championship game in 2009.  The Chaparrals finished last year with a 33-12 record.  They will return four starters and five players overall from last year’s team.  Entering his third year as coach at DuPage, Ryan Connell owns a record of 65-28, a record he hopes to greatly improve upon this year.  Along with his group of returning players, Connell will rely on a strong incoming freshman class.

Monroe Community College (N.Y.) was bounced out of the national semifinals last year by College of DuPage.  They return this year with a team that’s poised to go all the way.  They return six starters and ten players overall from the 2009 team.  The Tribunes return as an offensive powerhouse with two players hitting .500 or better and two more hitting .420 or better.  First baseman Sam Disinger hit .560 with six home runs and 38 RBI’s in 2009 while third baseman Gabby Elsbree hit .500 with five home runs and 57 RBI’s.  In the circle the Tribunes are led by Heather Kingsbury who had an ERA of 2.78 and a record of 14-3.

Rochester Community and Technical College (Minn.) is returning three starters and five players overall from their 2009 squad who put together a record of 35-7.  The pitching staff is led by NJCAA All-American Deann Mock who had a record of 15-2, an ERA of 1.263, 122 strikeouts and just 33 walks through 133 innings of work.  The offense is anchored by shortstop Caitlin Donahoe and catcher Kelly Shaner.  Donahoe hit .353 with 57 RBI’s and six stolen bases.  Shaner hit .346 with two home runs, 48 RBI’s and three stolen bases.

Brookdale Community College owns the number five spot in the preseason poll.  They return this season from a 36-14 record in 2009.  Coach Bo Scannapieco enters his 24^th season as coach of the Jersey Blues with an impressive record of 720-220.  They will return four starters and five players overall from last year’s team and add a strong freshman class to the mix.  They return much of their offense from 2009 led by Samantha Deixler.  Deixler hit .476 with five home runs and 62 RBI’s.  Another offensive leader for the Jersey Blues is third baseman Kelly Mormino.  In 2009, Mormino hit .444 and drove in 39 RBI’s.  Other big offensive producers include Christina Massitti and Kara Kelsey who both hit over .330 in 2009.        

Note: Preseason rankings are based off media guide forms submitted by member colleges.