2012 Preview: Fordham

2011 Record (A10 play):
Returning Position Players: Gabby Luety C, Brianna Ciuffi UT, Christina Siesta C/IF, Chelsea Palumbo SS, Jamie LaBovick P/1B, Jess Crowley CF, Lindsey Kay Bright OF, Jo Krasnisky UT, Kat VanBenschoten OF, Nicole Callahan IF
Returning Pitchers: Jen Mineau
Losses: Jocelyn Dearborn 3B, Beckah Wiggins 2B, Samantha Pellechio SS, Megan Shager C, Chelsea Plimpton P, Becca Griswold 3B
Newcomers: Taylor Pirone P, Michele Daubman P/IF, Elise Fortier 3B, Brianna Turgeon 2B, Erica Willis OF, Cora Ianiro OF, Sammi Smith OF, Kayla Lombardo IF/C, Serena Moroukian OF, Paige Ortiz IF

Jen Mineau (Courtesy of Tom Wasiczko)

Pitching: Fordham's pitching will one of its biggest strengths in 2012, due in large part to the return of Jen Mineau. Mineau has been incredibly dominant over the past two seasons and she has helped lead the Rams to new heights. Mineau features pin point control in addition to devastating movement. In 2011, Mineau was 24-9 with a 1.22 ERA and 300 SO in 224.2 IP. The most amazing part about those numbers is that they came while she was dealing with a nagging injury. This season she is healthy and ready to go so the rest of the conference better watch out. Joining Mineau in the circle this season are freshmen Taylor Pirone and Michele Daubman. Pirone had a excellent fall for the Rams and she should be an impact performer right away. Pirone is a tall and athletic pitcher who comes to Fordham with plenty of experience after pitching for the NJ Inferno in travel ball. Daubman also figures to see quite a bit of action in the circle for Fordham. Coach Bridget Orchard is going to look to her freshmen for valuable innings so Mineau can be fresh at the end of the year.

Gabby Luety (Courtesy of Tom Wasiczko)

Catching: Gabby Luety returns after an outstanding freshman season and she should once again be a force behind the plate. Luety hit .281 with 45 hits, 8 HR, and 29 RBI for the Rams in her freshman season. With a season of Division 1 Softball under her belt, those offensive numbers should be even better in 2012. Kayla Lombardo, Christina Siesta, and Nicole Callahan could also see action behind the plate for Fordham this year.

Elise Fortier (Courtesy of Tom Wasiczko)

Infielders: The Rams return just one infielder from last year, as 2011 Atlantic Player of the Year Jocelyn Dearborn, 2010 Atlantic 10 co-Player of the Year Beckah Wiggins, and All-Conference performer Samantha Pellechio have all graduated. 2010 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Jamie LaBovick is back and Fordham will look to her to be the captain of the infield. LaBovick's numbers fell off a little bit in 2011, but they were still pretty solid, as she went .257 with 46 hits, 1 HR, and 16 RBI. In 2012, expect those numbers to skyrocket up, especially the power numbers. Chelsea Palumbo will join the infield this season, as she will transition to shortstop, after being in the outfield last season. Palumbo had a solid year in 2011, hitting .268 with 34 hits, 5 HR, and 30 RBI. She will be counted on to have an even bigger role this season at shortstop. Stony Brook transfer Elise Fortier will likely hold down third base for the Rams and she should be an impact performer on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Fortier had an excellent fall for the Rams and she will look to have the same sort of performance this spring. Freshman Brianna Turgeon and returnee Nicole Callahan will battle it for second base. Turgeon is a talented freshman from Connecticut with excellent skills on both sides of the ball. Callahan had an excellent season in 2011 starting at designated player, hitting .358 with 58 hits, 2 HR, and 20 RBI. The designated player position should be a battle all season long, as a number of players could hold down that spot, including Callahan, Pirone, and powerful freshman slugger Paige Ortiz. Ortiz swings an incredibly powerful bat that may be too strong to keep out of the lineup.

Nicole Callahan (Courtesy of Tom Wasiczko)

Outfielders: In the outfield Fordham returns two starters from last season in Lindsey Kay Bright and Jess Crowley. Bright hit .268 last year with 42 hits, 0 HR, 12 RBI, and 13 SB. Coach Orchard is going to count on her to be a table setter for the Rams and get things going with her speed. Crowley was Fordham's anchor in the outfield last year tracking down everything ball hit her way. She hit .192 with 15 hits, 2 HR, and 6 RBI last season. Crowley will look to put up even bigger numbers this season, now that she has a season of starting under her belt in Division 1. The other outfield spot could be filled by any of a number of players, such as Callahan, Kat VanBenschoten, Sammi Smith, or Serena Moroukian. That final spot will likely come down to offensive production, as whomever hits the best will find themselves in the lineup.

Schedule: This young and talented squad will be tested throughout 2012, as Coach Orchard has continued her aggressive scheduling. Fordham will have a number of challenging games including games with WCWS participants California and Alabama (which will be played at home!), Super Regional participants Arizona, as well as East Carolina, UCLA, Long Beach State, and Louisville who all advanced to Regionals last season. This non-conference schedule will prepare Fordham for A10 play and it will likely get them into the NCAA tournament for the third straight season. As far as Atlantic 10 play, Fordham will have the benefit of hosting UMass and Charlotte at home, as part of its 10 home games. The Rams will have to hit the road however to face St. Joseph's, Temple, and Dayton.

Jess Crowley (Courtesy of Tom Wasiczko)

Postseason prognosis: Fordham is going to likely be back at NCAA Regionals this year and finish in the top three in the conference. With Jen Mineau in the circle, Fordham is going to make a lot of noise in the Atlantic 10 and nationally. Fordham is the defending champion in the Atlantic 10 and they will be the team to beat. The Rams are going to have stiff competition from UMass and St. Joseph's and the regular season title could come down to the last weekend of the season, when UMass heads to the Bronx. Fordham is going to be good in 2012, but depending on how well its young players play, it could be really good and play deep into the NCAA tournament.

Kaylyn Zierke verbals to Temple

Kaylyn Zierke

Temple picked up its first 2013 verbal, as Kaylyn Zierke C 2013 of the New Lenox Lightning has committed to play for Coach Joe DiPietro.

Zierke is a talented catcher from Bartlett High School in Illinois. Zierke had a solid 2011 season, hitting .324 with 2 HR and 27 RBI. Zierke will be a major part of the Owls lineup as soon as she arrives on campus, both behind the plate and in the batting order.

Zierke joins teammate Elizabeth Everingham (St. Louis), as New Lenox Lightning members who have verballed to an Atlantic 10 school.

If you have any recruiting news, as always please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com (all exchanges are kept confidential)

Maddi Doane verbals to St. Louis

Maddi Doane

St. Louis has received its first 2014 verbal from Maddie Doane OF 2014 of the Beverly Bandits.

This is a huge pickup for the Billikens, as the Beverly Bandits are the top travel organization in the midwest. The Bandits won the Boulder Independence Day Tournament last year and had the highest finish of a non-California team at Premier Nationals.

Doane is a lefthanded hitting and throwing outfielder who looks poised to hold down a spot at the top of St. Louis' order. Doane will be an impact player for the Billikens both in the outfield and at the plate.

Doane is a native of Naperville, IL which just sent Mikayla Panko to UMass this past season. Doane is the third 2014 verbal in the Atlantic 10, joining Rochelle Draper and Aiyana Leal-Robles who have verballed to George Washington.

Katie Ryan verbals to Dayton

Katie Ryan

Dayton picked up its second 2013 verbal from Katie Ryan OF 2013 of the Wasco Diamonds.

Ryan is a powerful hitter and she tied the Illinois state high school record by hitting 18 HR in 2011. Ryan hit leadoff for her Batavia High School squad en route to hitting .455 with 50 hits, 18 HR, and 42 RBI. Ryan is also extremely versatile as she can also pitch or play shortstop, though she will most likely end up in the outfield for the Flyers.

The Wasco Diamonds have produced some pretty good players over the years with Michelle Batts at Northwestern and Lyndsey Cieski at DePaul being two notable names.

Ryan joins Riley Cunningham in Dayton's 2013 recruiting class.

As always if you have any recruiting news please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com

Riley Cunningham verbals to Dayton

Riley Cunningham

Dayton picked up its first 2013 verbal, as Riley Cunningham OF 2013 of the Austin Storm committed to play for Coach Cara LaPlaca.

Cunningham is an extremely versatile player who can play in the outfield or at one of the middle infield positions. Cunningham is a speedy lefthanded hitter who can either slap or hit away and she will most likely be slotted at or near the top of Dayton's batting order.

Coach LaPlaca has done well in Texas, as the Flyers have four players on their current roster from the lonestar state: Kayla English, Jenna Lopes, Jordan Jennings, and Rachel Archer.

Aiyana Leal-Robles verbals to George Washington

George Washington recruiting spree continued this week, as they picked up a verbal from Aiyana Leal-Robles C/3B 2014 of Cal Lite 16U.

Leal-Robles is a versatile player who can suit up at catcher or third base. She has a solid arm and some great pop in her bat. She is the latest pickup for the Colonials who have done an outstanding job on the recruiting trail.

Leal-Robles joins Rochelle Draper in George Washington's 2014 recruiting class, at present no 2014s have verballed to any other A10 schools. Stacey Schramm also has three verbals in her 2013 class, as Megan Linn, Paige Kovalsky, and Monica Macchiarulo have all committed to playing for the Colonials.

Leal-Robles is the latest Cal Lite player to commit to an Atlantic 10 school, as Emily Rogers and Brandi Harkness have committed to St. Joseph's and Megan Linn has also committed to George Washington.

If you have any recruiting news please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com

2012 Preview: UMass

Massachusetts Minutewomen
2011 Record (A10 Play): 29-19 (14-5)
Returning Position Players: Stephanie Mayne C/IF, Jordan Storro SS, Kyllie Magill 2B, Stephanie Mix OF, Katie Bettencourt OF, Teea Rogers 3B, Christina Della Vecchia IF/OF, Cyndil Matthew OF, Lindsey Webster OF, Tiffany Meeks OF, Paige Hansen IF, Maggie Quealy 1B, Sam Gray C
Returning Pitchers: Sara Plourde, Lindsey Webster, Caroline Raymond
Losses: Meg Carta C, Audrey Boutin 1B
Newcomers: Mikayla Panko OF, Bridget Lemire IF, Anna Kelley 3B, Quianna Diaz-Patterson SS, Allison Kearney OF

Sara Plourde

Caroline Raymond

Cyndil Matthew

Kyllie Magill

Pitching: The Minutewomen's pitching will arguably be it's greatest strength in 2012, although there are still some unknowns after moving past Sara Plourde. Lindsey Webster and Caroline Raymond both had their seasons in the circle cut short by injuries, so they will be looking for a fresh start in 2012. Sara Plourde is the two-time conference pitcher of the year and she has also led the nation in strikeouts the past two seasons. Plourde has carried an enormous load on her shoulders the past two seasons, as she has thrown over 600 innings. Plourde went 27-15 last season with a 1.30 ERA and 498 SO in 295.1 IP. Coach Elaine Sortino is going to look to Webster and Raymond to take some of the load off of Plourde this year. Both Raymond and Webster had flashes of excellence last year, before dealing with injuries. Webster went 0-3 with a 3.85 ERA and 22 SO in 20 IP, though it is worth noting that her appearances came against Tulsa, Washington, and Fresno State all teams that advanced to NCAA Regionals. If Webster can get off to a strong start the Minutewomen could be very formidable in the circle. Caroline Raymond is the other UMass pitcher who was sidelined with injuries last year, as she was able to play in just 8 games, going 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA and 15 SO in 24.1 IP. However if you take Raymond's illegal pitch filled debut (the delivery has been corrected) against Washington out, her ERA drops down to 2.01. Raymond features a excellent changeup and she is an extremely imposing presence in the circle standing over 6 feet tall. Coach Sortino may have the most talented pitching staff in the conference and she will look to them to each provide innings this year so everyone is fresh for a postseason run.

Catching: This is the big mystery for the Minutewomen, as Meg Carta has graduated leaving a big hole at the position of catcher. Sam Gray and Stephanie Mayne may get the first crack at it, but UMass has an extremely versatile roster so a number of different players could step behind the plate including Katie Bettencourt or Quianna Diaz-Patterson. Coach Sortino is going to have to make a decision as to whether she wants the best defensive catcher or the best lineup offensively and it may be a decision that changes depending on the game.

Infield: It is going to be very interesting to see how the Minutewomen's infield shapes up, as the only position set in stone looks to be Kyllie Magill at second base. Magill has been a steady consistent performer for the Minutewomen over her first three seasons and they will look to her to be a leader in 2012. Magill hit .294 with 48 hits, 3 HR, 25 RBI, and 10 SB last year for UMass. She is a triple threat and she could end up hitting in any of the first three spots for the Minutewomen this year. Jordan Storro is the incumbent at shortstop, but she will be pushed hard by freshman Quianna Diaz-Patterson. Both players are extremely athletic and it would not be a surprise to see either one remain in the lineup in a different position. Diaz-Patterson and Storro are two of the fastest runners in the conference and they will make it extremely difficult on opposing catchers. Teea Rogers is back after starting her first two seasons, but freshman Anna Kelley is providing stiff competition for her and it will all come down to who is better on field. The big question for UMass is who will play first base? There are a number of different players who could play there including Maggie Quealy, Paige Hansen, Bridget Lemire, Stephanie Mayne, and Tiffany Meeks. Coach Sortino is going to look for someone in this group to step up offensively and hold down the position.

Outfielders: The Minutewomen return all three outfielders from last year and add former A10 Player of the Year Katie Bettencourt back into the fray along with a few freshmen. Cyndil Matthew is back after a solid sophomore season, which saw her hit .324 with 44 hits, 0 HR, 9 RBI, and 13 SB. Matthew has tremendous speed and she really got things going with her bat at the end of the year for UMass. Lindsey Webster is also back after a solid freshman campaign at the plate. Webster hit .297 with 33 hits, 8 HR, and 23 RBI. Webster is poised for a breakout season in 2012 and all of those totals should be much higher this season. Christine Della Vecchia and Tiffany Meeks are also back after splitting time in left field last season. They will be challenged for playing time with the return of Katie Bettencourt. Bettencourt was Atlantic 10 co-Player of the Year in 2010, after hitting .333 with 51 hits, 7 HR, and 33 RBI. If Bettencourt can return to that level, the rest of the league better watch out. Freshman Mikayla Panko could also push for playing time, as she is extremely athletic out in the outfield.

Schedule: The Minutewomen have a extremely difficult non-conference schedule, but it is one that will pay off at the end of the season come tournament time. UMass opens up the season with three difficult, but RPI boosting weekends of play, as they will face UAB, Louisville, DePaul, Michigan, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Maryland, and Alabama: all teams that advanced to regionals in 2011. Then Minutewomen's schedule gets a little easier in Clearwater, FL, though Chattanooga, Illinois, USF, and Northwestern will still be good quality games for UMass. In conference play, UMass will get 10 games at the friendly confines of the UMass Softball Complex, while they will hit the road for the other 10. The Minutewomen will get St. Joseph's, Temple, and Dayton at home, while they will have to hit the road to face Fordham and St. Louis. UMass has a great schedule that puts them into a good position, but it will all come to down to what they do on the field.

Postseason prognosis: The Minutewomen are shaping up to be a very good squad in 2012 and a bid to regionals along with an Atlantic 10 title are very realistic possibilities. UMass is going to great great pitching, so its success will really come down to how well the offense performs. If UMass' offense is potent this year, the Minutewomen could find themselves playing deep into May and possibly even June. There is too much talent on this team for there to be another off year like last season. The Minutewomen will finish in the top 2 with a slight possibility of 3rd. This team looks very good on paper, but it will all come down to how they perform on the field.

A10 Softball Blog Readers Predictions for 2012

Over the past few weeks we have had polls up on the site allowing readers to vote on who they thought would win the conference to who they thought would take home the individual hardware and here are the results. Thank you for your participation, as hundreds of votes were cast!

Preseason poll
1. Fordham (tied)
1. UMass (tied)
3. Dayton
4. St. Joseph's
5. Charlotte
6. George Washington
7. Temple
8. St. Bonaventure
9. St. Louis (tied)
9. Rhode Island (tied)
11. La Salle

Player of the year: Lauren Nacke, Dayton
Pitcher of the year: Sara Plourde, UMass
Rookie of the year: Victoria Valos, George Washington

Our predictions will be coming in the next week...

Jen Mineau and Sara Plourde were named to ASA/USA Softball's Player of the Year Watch List

For the second straight season, Sara Plourde of UMass and Jen Mineau of Fordham were named to the ASA/USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List.

Jen Mineau

Mineau and Plourde both had outstanding junior seasons, but we think they are going to make even more noise in their senior seasons.

Sara Plourde

To read more about them check out our posts previewing the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year award: Jen Mineau and Sara Plourde.

Fordham Softball Photos

Chelsea Palumbo

Some of you readers may have noticed the link on the side of the page to Fordham Softball Photos and we are going to use this post to highlight that site.

Michele Daubman

Fordham Softball Photos features photos of Fordham softball throughout the year by one of the best softball photographers in the entire country: Tom Wasiczko. Fordham and Atlantic 10 Softball are lucky to have him, as he takes outstanding shots game after game. Here is just a small sampling of his work.

Construction continues on Bahoshy Field

Wasiczko has earned international recognition for his softball photos, earning second place in the International Softball Federation's photo contest a few years ago. His photos have been synonymous with the rise of Fordham softball, as his photos have appeared in the New York Times and the New York Post, as well as in a number of other publications. In addition, to taking photos of Fordham softball, Wasiczko was also one of the official photographers for the 2009 Atlantic 10 Championship. The Fordham athletic department and Bridget Orchard truly have one of the best.

Construction continues 

He is one of the best in the game and we recommend that you check his site out! Anytime you see a photo of Fordham softball on this site, you'll now know where it came from. These selected photos don't do him justice, please visit his site and check them out for yourself.

The Fordham Softball Photos site has also developed into something bigger than just one person, as it features photos from other photographers as well and it is a way for Fordham softball photos to be found in a central location.

Every team in the conference would do well to copy the example that Wasiczko and Fordham softball have provided us with.

If you would like to send us photos to use, please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com

George Washington receives verbals from Monica Macchiarulo and Paige Kovalsky

George Washington continued its aggressive recruiting by picking up verbals from two 2013 players: Paige Kovalsky P/UT of the Florida Select and Monica Macchiarulo OF of the Connecticut Wicked.

Kovalsky is an outstanding athlete with ability to play almost any position on the field. Coach Stacey Schramm will probably have her play a number of different positions over the course of her time at Mount Vernon. Kovalsky has power and speed, not to mention the fact that she can pitch too. This is an outstanding pickup for the Colonials.

Kovalsky comes from a solid travel program in the Florida Select and her coach Jennie Ritter is someone who knows what it takes to win, as she won the 2005 National Title with Michigan. Kovalsky looks to have all the tools to compete at a high level both mentally and physically.

Macchiarulo is a player that we profiled last year and she is also an outstanding pickup. She is a left handed hitting outfielder from Connecticut with a nice swing and she's a gamer. The Colonials will look to her to man one of the outfield positions and have her find a way to reach base with bat.

Monica Macchiarulo

Macchiarulo is a nice pickup for George Washington and it may even end up being a 2 for 1, as her sister is just a year behind her and is also very talented.

Kovalsky and Macchiarulo join Megan Linn in George Washington's 2013 recruiting class along with Shelly Draper who is 2014 commitment. George Washington has been getting it done on the recruiting trail and they appear to be developing into a serious contender.

If you have any commitment news or know of any possible A10 prospects send an email to atlantic10softball@gmail.com All exchanges are kept confidential

Also would you like to see us publish a list of some players to watch again? We appreciate your feedback

2012 Preview: St. Joseph's

St. Joseph's Hawks
2011 Record (A10 Play): 31-16 (10-4)
Returning Position Players: Maria Ficca OF, Brianna Sasala OF, Morgan Earling IF/C, Juliette D'Ambrosio IF/C, Dana Parks OF, Annabelle Cunningham UT, Deanna Stinner IF, Rochelle Christman C/UT, Shannon Kramer IF/OF, Christine Bednar OF, Bernadette Moran 2B, Alaina Loguidice 1B, Monica Aguilar 3B
Returning Pitchers: Erin Gallagher, Taryn Ashway, Lauren Pembleton
Losses: Dana Bieniek SS, Laura Cardone OF
Newcomers: Melissa Ruf OF, Traneya White OF, Nicole Palase OF/IF, Taylor McGorry IF, Lauren Rendon C/OF

Erin Gallagher

Pitching: This is one of the biggest areas of strength for the Hawks as they return all three pitchers from last year, including Erin Gallagher. Gallagher already holds most of St. Joseph's single season records in the circle and she is poised to break even more this season, hopefully en route to an Atlantic 10 Championship. Gallagher had a great 2011 season, going 22-10 with a 1.60 ERA and 215 SO in 214.2 IP. Coach Terri Adams is going to be counting on her for a similar season again in 2012. Gallagher will be joined once again by Taryn Ashway who was 7-6 with a 2.52 ERA and 63 SO last season. Ashway really came on strong at the end of last season at the Atlantic 10 Tournament, throwing 14.1 innings with 13 SO, while allowing just 2 runs. If she can pick up from where she left off last season, the Hawks could have a scary duo in the circle. Lauren Pempleton also returns in the circle and she was 2-0 with a 3.96 ERA and 25 SO in 35.1 IP in 2011. She picked up a huge victory for the Hawks at North Carolina and she figures to see even more innings in 2012.

Lauren Pembleton

Catching: The Hawks return all three catchers from last season in Rochelle Christman, Morgan Earling, and Juliette D'Ambrosio and they add a talented freshman to that group in Lauren Rendon. Last year, Christman hit .241 with 5 HR, and 27 RBI for the Hawks. Coach Adams is going to look to her to provide a big bat once again in St. Joseph's lineup. Morgan Earling also saw a fair bit of time in the Hawks lineup as a freshman and she hit .132 with 1 HR and 5 RBI. Juliette D'Ambrosio hit .143 for the Hawks last year when she got in the lineup. Lauren Rendon is a talented freshman out of California and she figures to push these three returnees for playing time right away and it would not be a surprise if she ended up starting on opening day.

Alaina Loguidice

Infielders: Starting shortstop Dana Bieniek is gone after anchoring the Hawks infield in her senior season, but luckily for Coach Adams, everyone else is back. Highlighting the group of returnees is Monica Aguilar. Aguilar is one of the most feared hitters in the conference and she had an outstanding season in 2011, going .391 with 52 hits, 7 HR, 42 RBI, and 8 SB. She will once again be counted on to anchor the Hawks lineup and be its top run producer. Also back is Bernadette Moran at second base, after she hit .296 with 44 hits, 2 HR, and 22 RBI. Moran will find herself near the top of the Hawks order again in 2012 and she will look to get on base and move runners over for the big bats behind her, including Aguilar. Alaina Loguidice is back for her senior season at first base, after a 2011 season, which saw her hit .228 with 23 hits, 1 HR, and 4 RBI. Loguidice turned it on at the end of last season en route to being named to the Atlantic 10 All Tournament Team, so the Hawks will be expecting even bigger things from her in 2012. The big question mark for the Hawks in the infield is shortstop. A number of different Hawks could fill that position, but some contenders for the position include Deanna Stinner, Nicole Palase, and Christman. Christman was the starting shortstop in 2010, so it is very realistic that she could return there in 2012. Stinner was the Hawks designated player last season, while dealing with a shoulder injury, but she still managed to hit .241 with 22 hits, 0 HR, and 14 RBI. Stinner could also see time in the outfield for the Hawks.

Deanna Stinner

Outfield: In the Hawks outfield, it all starts with leadoff hitter and center fielder Dana Parks. Parks had an outstanding sophomore season, hitting .435 with 67 hits, 0 HR, 11 RBI, and 20 SB. Parks really gets things going with her speed and when she gets on, the Hawks' offense is set in motion. Shannon Kramer also returns for the Hawks in the outfield and she will be counted on to provide protection in the lineup for Aguilar. Kramer hit .263 with 31 hits, 2 HR, and 23 RBI. The last spot in the outfield could be filled by any number of players, including returnees Maria Ficca, Melissa Ruf, Traneya White, or Brianna Sasala. The Hawks will have a lot of competition in the outfield, as they have a number of players who could start.

Dana Parks

Schedule: The Hawks' schedule will give them some tough games in 2012 and it should give them good preparation for conference play. St. Joseph's opens up at Campbell before really getting into the meat of its schedule at Virginia and San Diego. The Hawks will be tested by games against Virginia, BYU, Fresno State, and San Diego State. St. Joseph's stretch of 9 games in California will go a long way to determining whether the Hawks can earn an at-large bid in 2012. The Atlantic 10 portion of the Hawks' will give them 12 games at home (did we mention they finally have a home!) including matchups against Fordham, Temple, and St. Louis.  St.  Joseph's will have to head Charlotte, Dayton, and UMass for difficult road trips. The Hawks' schedule will give them a shot at an at-large bid, but it will all come down to how they execute on the field.

Postseason prognosis: The Hawks are coming off once of their best seasons in school history and they are now looking to take it to the next level in 2012, by winning their first ever Atlantic 10 title. St. Joseph's is going to finish somewhere between 1st and 3rd this season, as they just have too much talent to finish anywhere else. It is going to be an absolute dogfight between St. Joseph's, Fordham, and UMass this year, which is going to leave no margin of error for any of the teams. The Hawks also have enough talent to earn an at-large bid, so they will need to bring it every game and as they will not be able to afford any let downs or off days if they want to make it to Regionals.