2015 La Salle Preview: Taking the next step

La Salle stunned the conference last year by advancing to its first Atlantic 10 Tournament in over a decade. Coach Ron Shoemaker has transformed the Explorers from a cellar dweller to a contender. La Salle went 9-9 in conference play, finishing tied for 5th in the conference. The Explorers are young and talented and are a bit of a mystery heading into 2015. It will be interesting to see whether last year was an aberration or a sign that the Explorers are here to stay.

Alicia Aughton (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Pitching
One of the big reasons for La Salle's success in 2014 was pitcher Alicia Aughton. Aughton had been effective in her first two seasons, but she really elevated her game in her junior season. Aughton went 11-11 with a 2.89 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 128.1 innings. One of the huge keys to Aughton's success was not giving away free bases. Aughton allowed just 31 walks all season. If Aughton can pitch like she did in 2014, La Salle has a great shot of advancing to the Atlantic 10 Tournament again. Mary Cate Scott is also back in the circle for the Explorers after a 2014 season, which saw her go 7-13 with a 4.48 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 123.1 innings. Aughton and Scott will have some reinforcements in the circle this year, as Taylor Rohrbaugh and McKenzie Peace should see some significant action. Coach Shoemaker finally has a deep pitching staff, which will prove to be crucial with the new conference format.

Catching
Back behind the dish for her junior season is Gen Gaynor. Last year, Gaynor saw the majority of the action behind the plate and hit .170 on the year. Kristin Martin and Suzanne Swanicke could also push for starting time at catcher. Coach Shoemaker may have to decide between offense or defense at some point and it will be interesting to see what he chooses.

Michelle Hagarty (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Infield
Coach Shoemaker returns most of his young infield from last year. Michelle Hagarty, Christina Bascara, and Suzanne Swanicke all return after outstanding rookie seasons. Last year, Bascara hit .331 with 39 hits, 4 HR, and 14 RBI. Swanicke hit .300 with 36 hits, 1 HR, and 17 RBI. Hagarty held down the position of shortstop all year and hit .294 with 35 hits, 9 HR, 14 RBI, and 19 HBP. La Salle is going to count on these four to lead the way at the plate and in the field. La Salle is going to be looking for someone to step up and play second base. Right now, Mackenzie Obert, Erica Reis, and Marissa Kineer. Valerie Pineiro could make a strong push for action at third base. Freshmen pitchers Taylor Rohrbaugh and McKenzie Peace could also see time at first base.

Linnette Siedler (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Outfield
In the outfield, Linnette Siedler, Kendra Heyer, and Kristin Travers return as starters, but the Explorers must replace All-Time Home Run leader Megan Hodgson. Siedler had a solid season, hitting .291 with 16 hits and 4 steals. Heyer had a bit of a sophomore slump last season, only hitting .175 after hitting .342 in 2013. La Salle will need Heyer to return to that form in order to challenge for an Atlantic 10 Tournament bid. Angelina Refice is a talented freshman outfielder who figures to be in the mix for one of the starting spots. Her speed will be a difference maker, both on defense and at the plate.

Designated Player
Not only was Alicia Aughton successful in the circle, but she was a force at the plate. Aughton hit .297 with 30 hits, 7 HR, and 25 RBI. The Explorers are going to be counting on her for big numbers once again. Taylor Rohrbaugh, McKenzie Peace, Valerie Pineiro, and Bridget Magee could also push for time at designated player.

Schedule
Coach Shoemaker put together a good nonconference slate for his team this year. There are definitely some difficult games on the schedule, but also some very winnable games. The schedule is highlighted by tournaments in North Carolina, Florida, and Maryland. The weekend tournament at Stetson is going to be a grueling one, as Stetson, Kansas, and Chattanooga all advanced to NCAA Regionals last year. A peculiar highlight of the nonconference schedule is that La Salle is currently scheduled to play a nonconference game against URI. As far as conference play, La Salle avoids UMass this season and has a fairly balanced slate. The Explorers will host George Washington, Rhode Island, St. Joseph's, and Dayton, while they will hit the road to take on Fordham, St. Louis, George Mason, and St. Bonaventure. If La Salle wants to make it back to the Atlantic 10 Tournament, they are definitely going to have to earn it.

Outlook
La Salle is coming off one of its best seasons in program history, now they will have to prove that last year wasn't a fluke. The Explorers have talent, but they will be up against some incredibly fierce competition. It will be a dogfight all year long, but La Salle has as good of a shot as anyone to advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament. La Salle will need to improve its defense, as they finished dead last in the conference for fielding percentage. The conference is too competitive to be giving away extra outs.

2015 George Washington Preview: Redemption

Coach Stacey Schramm isn't afraid to go all out for her team!

George Washington came into 2014 with big expectations and left with huge disappointment. The Colonials were picked to finish second in the conference, but instead finished in last place. The good news for George Washington is that they have almost all of their major contributors back and have added even more talent to the fold. Coach Stacey Schramm and her squad are poised for a big bounce-back year.

Meghan Rico (photo by Thom Kendall)

Pitching
The Colonials are going to need their pitchers to step up in 2015. The Achilles heel for this squad last year was walks. George Washington allowed almost 300 walks last year in 320 innings. That is one of the major reasons that the Colonials finished with a 4.59 ERA. Meghan Rico is back after a grueling 2014 season, which saw her shoulder most of the load in the circle. She went 13-15 with a 3.96 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 194 innings. If Rico can get some rest in the circle this year, her numbers are going to look much better. Paige Kovalsky is also back in the circle. Kovalsky missed most of the season with an injury, but she showed signs of promise in the circle. She finished the year with solid outings against Rhode Island and St. Louis. If she can stay healthy, the Colonials are going to be in great shape. The biggest key for George Washington's pitching in 2015 though, will be the performance of freshman Sarah Costlow. Costlow is one of the most highly regarded recruits that George Washington has ever brought in and they are going to need her to perform in the circle. Costlow is not a huge strikeout pitcher, but she knows how to let her defense do the work and she does not allow many free bases. She will be a strong contender for Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year in 2015. Freshman Ashley Pilcher also figures to see some key innings in the circle.

Samantha Dos Santos and Meghan Rico (photo by Thom Kendall)

Catching
Three year starter Samantha Dos Santos is back behind the dish for her senior season. Dos Santos is an excellent defensive catcher, especially in terms of blocking balls. At the plate, Dos Santos went .186 with 18 hits, 9 RBI, and 19 steals. Dos Santos should raise those numbers quite a bit. Freshman Aiyana Leal-Robles is also making a strong push for playing time. Leal-Robles has been teammates with freshman pitcher Sarah Costlow for a long time.

Victoria Valos (photo by Thom Kendall)

Infield
George Washington brings back a talented infield that did most of the damage last year at the plate for the Colonials. Leading the way is senior captain Victoria Valos at shortstop. Valos has held down the fort at shortstop for the last three seasons and had another solid campaign last year, hitting .355 with 50 hits, 6 HR, 42 RBI, and 12 steals. Valos is already George Washington's career leader in home runs, doubles, runs batted in, and slugging percentage. She is also poised to become the career leader in hits and runs scored. Megan Linn is back at second base after a stellar freshman season, which saw her hit .370 with 61 hits, 4 HR, 35 RBI, and 30 steals. Linn just missed out on being named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year. Coach Schramm is going to count on Linn to be an excellent leadoff hitter again in 2015. Morgan Matetic is back at third base after a breakout season, which saw her hit .319 with 26 hits, 9 doubles, 6 HR, and 19 RBI. There is going to be some serious competition at first base, as George Washington is very deep at that position. Carlee Gray, Mary Wiley, and Jillian Galich could all see time at first. All three swing powerful bats, though Gray should have the edge going into the season with her excellent defense. Paige Kovalsky could also push for playing time at third base. Kovalsky began the season there before she was injured. Other contenders for playing time in the infield are Rochelle Draper and Maura Murphy.

Outfield
George Washington is loaded with talent in the outfield and may have the youngest and fastest outfield in the conference. Bradleigh Breland is back after a solid freshman season, which saw her hit .309 with 25 hits and 13 steals. Coach Schramm will be looking for Breland to put up even bigger numbers in 2015. Marissa Mangini is also back for her sophomore season and George Washington will be looking for her to put the ball on the ground and use her speed. Mangini and Breland will look to hold on to their starting spots against a number of talented freshmen. Alana Anderson, Rochelle Draper, and Morgan Rinehart are all gunning for those starting positions. In the end, it will come down to who is getting it done at the plate. Coach Schramm loves a fast team and all of her outfielders should have double digit steal totals if they can consistently get on base.

Designated Player
Jillian Galich and Mary Wiley are once again the favorites to hold down this position. Last year, Galich hit .268 with 1 HR and 23 RBI, while Wiley hit .263 with 25 hits and 12 RBI. Coach Schramm is going to be looking for a powerful lefty bat from this position. It would not be surprising to see Galich or Wiley with more that 5-7 home runs at the end of the season.

Schedule
The Colonials will open up 2015 with a tough opening weekend against NCAA Tournament teams Auburn, Chattanooga, and UAB, as well as Evansville and Appalachian State. From there, the schedule eases up a bit. George Washington will have a fairly manageable nonconference slate, which should allow this nonconference team round into form before Atlantic 10 play. As far as the Atlantic 10 schedule, George Washington has an interesting lineup. The Colonials must hit the road to face Atlantic 10 Tournament teams La Salle, UMass, Fordham, and Dayton, while they will host St. Louis at home. George Washington will avoid St. Joseph's this year. The Colonials will also host George Mason, Rhode Island, and St. Bonaventure. If George Washington wants to advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament, they are going to need to take care of business at home and steal a few games on the road.

Outlook
George Washington is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2014 and it would be shocking if they were not back in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. There is too much talent on this team for them to miss out on the tournament two straight years. If George Washington's pitchers can avoid handing out walks, the Colonials are going to be in great shape to make the tournament. George Washington is also probably one of the few teams with the talent to challenge Fordham in 2015. If Coach Schramm's freshmen step up, this team might have a successful trip to Amherst in May.

2015 George Mason Preview

George Mason had a very solid year in 2014, going 22-21, yet they did not advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament. That was despite having the best ERA in the conference and the third best batting average. The Patriots will need to shake off that disappointment in 2014 and finish 2015 on a high note.

Casey Herring (photo by George Mason Athletics)

Pitching
Staff ace Anna Blessing has graduated, but the Patriots do return a talented trio of pitchers. Christina Gabriele is back after a solid season, which saw her go 5-6 with a 2.92 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 60 innings, while opponents hit just .221 against her. Coach Joe Verbanic is going to look to her for big innings this year. Casey Herring is also back after a decent 2014 season, which saw her go 5-5 with a 3.33 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 48 innings. Gabriele and Herring should lead the way, but Sarah Kleinfelter and Jess Middleton also figure to see significant time in the circle as well. If the Patriots are going to lead the conference in ERA again, someone is going to need to step up and be the ace.

Catching
Senior Angela Maioran is back at catcher for George Mason. Maioran has manned the dish for the last two seasons, so it would be a surprise if she wasn't back there again in 2015. Katie Kitts and Heather Ferguson should also compete for playing time behind the dish. Coach Verbanic may be looking for more offensive production out of his catchers this year.

Brooke Blankenship (photo by George Mason Athletics)

Infield
The Patriots return almost their entire infield from last year, headlined by Brooke Blankenship. Blankenship had a stellar season in 2014, hitting .394 with 54 hits, 7 HR, 49 RBI, and 12 steals. Blankenship is a legitimate contender for Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and George Mason will need another big year from her if they want to make the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Shortstop Mary O'Connor also return after an excellent junior season, both in the field and at the plate.  O'Connor hit .308 with 28 hits, 10 RBI, and 8 steals. Perhaps, her most impressive stat though was her .952 fielding percentage at shortstop. Casey Price is back at first base after a solid 2014. Price hit .328 at the plate with 42 hits and 26 RBI. Coach Verbanic is going to need his infield to lead the way if they are going to advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament this year. George Mason may look to Liz Seymour or Brianna Boyd to hold down the fort at second base.

Outfield
Tiffany Webb and her immense offensive production are gone, but George Mason does bring back some solid talent in the outfield. Julia Czarnecki returns to lead the outfielders both at the plate and on defense. Czarnecki hit .331 last year with 45 hits, 14 RBI, and 9 steals. The Patriots are going to need her to keep up that production this season. There will be a whole host of players competing for the final two spots in the outfield. One thing is clear though, George Mason must get solid production from those other two spots.

Designated Player
Boyd saw some significant action at designated player last year, but the position may be up for grabs if she starts at second base. The Patriots are going to need production from this position, hopefully of the power variety.

Schedule
George Mason has a fairly manageable nonconference slate. The Patriots will have a very tough opening weekend against UCF and Boston College, but after that the nonconference schedule eases up quite a bit. The Patriots will have 23 straight home games from February 27-March 23 and they will need to take advantage that. George Mason has a favorable conference schedule as they will face Fordham, UMass, St. Joseph's, and La Salle at home. They do not have to face Atlantic 10 Tournament team Dayton and their only road trip against an Atlantic 10 Tournament team is a trip to St. Louis. George Mason will also hit the road to take on George Washington, St. Bonaventure, and Rhode Island.

Outlook
George Mason could be a team that surprises in 2015. They have the pitching and some stars offensively, but they need other players to step up. Brooke Blankenship is going to need some protection in the lineup or opposing pitchers are going to pitch around her. The Patriots are a fast team that likes to run, but they are going to need more power in 2015. George Mason had 9 home runs as a team, three players are on Fordham had more than 9 home runs last year. If the power numbers don't increase, it is hard to see George Mason advancing to Amherst for the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

2015 Fordham Rams: The new dynasty in the Bronx

It's safe to officially say that there is a new dynasty in town. The Atlantic 10 was dominated for decades by UMass, but in the past five years Fordham has taken over. Fordham was very good in 2014, but they have the potential to be even better in 2015.

Michele Daubman (photo by Tom Wasiczko)

Pitching
The Rams roll four deep in the circle and have the best staff in the conference. Atlantic 10 Co-Pitcher of the Year Michele Daubman returns after a very good 2014 season. Daubman went 18-11 with a 3.73 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 161.2 innings against just 28 walks. Daubman is as steady as they come and she figures to have an even better senior campaign. Southpaw Rachel Gillen is also back in the circle. Gillen had an inconsistent 2014, which is understandable given that it was her first time throwing in two years. She could be a force in 2015 for the Rams, as she showed signs of brilliance in 2014, keeping Oregon's touted offense in check for six innings. Fordham's relief specialist Patti Maloney is also back. Maloney did not start a single game in 2014, but went 5-1 out of the bullpen with 6 saves and a 3.19 ERA. Maloney has excelled in this relief role and Coach Bridget Orchard will look to her once again. Lauren Quense had a solid freshman campaign going 5-4 with a 3.32 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 82.1 innings. Fordham's pitching staff is built for the new conference format and with this staff the Rams are the prohibitive favorites in 2015.

Stephanie Ferri (photo by Tom Wasiczko)

Catching
Four year starter Gabby Luety has graduated, so Coach Orchard will be looking to someone new to call the pitches and hold down the fort behind the plate. Ally Vergona and Stephanie Ferri figure to compete for the starting role. If need be, Kayla Lombardo could also move behind the plate.

Madison Shaw (photo by Tom Wasiczko)

Infield
Fordham's infield and offensive anchor, Elise Fortier has graduated. The good news for Fordham is that Kayla Lombardo is back to anchor the hot corner and Amy Van Hoven is back at second base. Lombardo had a very solid junior campaign, as she hit .313 with 50 hits, 10 HR, 35 RBI, and 3 steals. Lombardo got off to a slow start in 2014, but she really kicked into gear in the second half of the season. Van Hoven is back after a very productive freshman season. She is a key table setter for the Rams and does an excellent job of getting on base, making it difficult for opposing pitchers to pitch around the big guns in the Fordham lineup. In 2014, she hit .367 with 61 hits, 0 HR, 9 RBI, and 2 steals. Without Luety and Fortier's long balls, Van Hoven could be let loose on the bases more to show off her speed. The Rams have a number of different athletes who could play shortstop, including Lindsay Mayer and Allie Bradian. The UVA transfer swings a great bat and more importantly she is stout defensively with a cannon of an arm. The former travel ball teammate of Fortier is going to fit right in on the Rams. The final spot up for grabs is first base and while there are some talented contenders, Madison Shaw is just too talented not to land the starting nod. Shaw swings a monster bat that opposing pitchers are not going to enjoy facing. Shaw will end up with a double digit home run total in 2015. She is that good. Lauren Quense and Paige Ortiz should also see some time at first.

Sydney Canessa (photo by Tom Wasiczko)

Outfield
Fordham brings back its outfield from 2014 and adds even more talent. Sydney Canessa is back after a stellar freshman season to patrol centerfield once again. Canessa was the leadoff hitter for the Rams, hitting .309 with 54 hits, 6 HR, 28 RBI, and 4 steals. She also scored 48 runs, so that means scored a run almost 2/3 of the time she was on base. Brianna Turgeon, Cora Ianiro, and Michele Daubman also return in the outfield. Turgeon battled injuries in 2014, but still managed to play in 34 games and hit .256. If she can stay healthy, her offensive numbers should jump significantly. Ianiro was a pleasant surprise in 2014 and held down her spot in the outfield for most of the season, after serving as a pinch runner and pinch hitter for her first two seasons. She hit .291 with 34 hits and 10 RBI. Daubman saw time in the outfield when she wasn't in the circle and also did work at the plate. Daubman hit .238 with 38 hits, 6 HR, and 25 RBI. Rachel Gillen was also a mainstay in the outfield when she wasn't pitching. The Rams are not short on talent, however and Claudia Law figures to challenge for playing time after sitting out last year with an injury, not to mention speedy freshman Morgan Figueroa. In the end, it will come down to who gets it done at the plate. Coach Orchard is extremely deep in the outfield, which is definitely a problem she loves to have.

Paige Ortiz (photo by Tom Wasiczko)

Designated Player
Paige Ortiz should once again hold down the designated player spot. Ortiz swings a mighty bat and she is poised for a breakout year. Last year, she hit .217 with 33 hits, 6 HR, and 23 RBI. 2014 was a bit of a down year for Ortiz, but she is more than capable of returning to her double digit home run form in 2015. Ortiz will definitely be challenged for playing time as the Rams are extremely deep.

Schedule
Coach Bridget Orchard has once again put together a daunting slate for the Rams in 2015. The Rams open up 2015 at the Kajikawa Classic and will face some decent competition, including Cal and Fresno State. Fordham can make a national statement if they can take care of business right away. After Arizona, the Rams will head down to the Sunshine State where the schedule will pick up at bit. Fordham will have challenging games on tap against Tennessee, USF, and Florida Gulf Coast. Following that, Fordham will head down to the Palmetto State to play against former pitching coach Kyle Jamieson's Furman Paladins and former Temple coach Joe DiPietro's Hampton squad. That weekend will be all about taking care of business. Fordham will then head down to Orlando for the Citrus Classic and will take on three Big Ten teams, including last year's conference champion Minnesota, as well as Georgia, and Georgetown. Finally, Fordham wraps up tournament play by traveling to NC State. Raleigh will be a tough weekend as the Rams will go up against the host Wolfpack, Missouri, Lipscomb, and perennial nonconference nemesis Longwood. The nonconference schedule up north is about as challenging as it could be. Fordham will square off against Northwestern, Hofstra, Syracuse, Iona, and St. John's. For conference play, the Rams will have tough trips to St. Louis and UMass, but the rest of the schedule is very manageable. Fordham will not play Rhode Island this year.

Outlook
If Coach Orchard can get her squad through nonconference play with a record above .500, this team should be poised for an at-large bid. This team has the pitching, hitting, and defense to make it happen. They are one of the biggest conference favorites in years, perhaps since the 2009 UMass squad. Fordham is poised for a dominating run through conference play and they have a chance to advance further than any Fordham team has before. This team is going to be fun to watch. Prediction: they will exceed last season's batting average, home runs, and steals. Watch out Yankees! There is a new dynasty in the Bronx!

2015 Dayton Preview: Time for the Flyers to soar to new heights

Dayton has been on a slow and steady incline ever since Cara LaPlaca took over and this might be her best squad yet. The Flyers are experienced, talented, and ready to challenge for an Atlantic 10 Tournament bye.

Kayla English (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Pitching
The success for the Flyers will be determined by how well their pitchers perform. The good news for Coach LaPlaca is that she returns all of her pitchers and brings in a talented freshman. Headlining the way for Dayton is the program's all time leading strikeout queen Kayla English. English brings the heat and the strikeouts in the circle. The key for her will be keeping down her walks and homeruns. If she is able to do that, the Flyers will be extremely successful in 2015. Emily Froment and Gabrielle Snyder are also back. Froment and Snyder were stellar in relief last year, as they combined for 6 saves last year. Froment and Snyder are nice complements to English who hammers the upper part of the strike zone. Froment and Snyder are more finesse pitchers that work in more offspeed and dropballs. Perhaps the most interesting Dayton pitcher to watch in 2015 is freshman Manda Cash. The freshman southpaw comes in after a very successful prep career and could very well wind up as the Flyer's ace.

Catching
The Flyers will be very inexperienced in the catching department as they must replace the talented Kasi Vasquez. Kathy Hess and Krista Gustafson have both seen action in the past and they are joined by freshman Kailee Budicin. All three should see action throughout the year. Coach LaPlaca will be looking for one of them to step up and anchor the starting spot.

Infielders
In the infield, Kennedy Haynes returns at second base.  Haynes will need to put up solid numbers in order to maintain her starting position. Returnees Katie Ryan, Kirsten Bartlett, and Madeline Simmonds should also be in the mix. Kayla Haberstich is one freshman to watch. She swings a powerful bat and it would not be surprising to see her wind up as a starter this season. Redshirt freshman Rebekkah Potter is also someone to keep an eye on. The Flyers will be looking to fill three starting spots in the infield this seasons.

Outfielders
Natalie Mariano and Gabrielle Snyder return as starters in the outfield for Dayton after solid 2014 seasons. Mariano is a key table setter at the top of the order for Dayton. Last year, she hit .298 with 54 hits, 3 HR, and 20 RBI. Snyder returns after a stellar freshman season at the plate, which saw her hit .370 with 40 hits, 4 HR, and 18 RBI. The Flyers are going to be looking to freshman Jaclyn Kweder, junior Katelyn Gibson, and sophomores Cynthia Leaton and Hannah DeSalvo. DeSalvo had a solid rookie campaign, which saw her hit .265 and she might have the inside track for the starting spot.

Tiffany Ricks (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Designated Player
Tiffany Ricks should once again hold down the fort at the designated player position. Ricks is one of the most feared power hitters in the Atlantic 10. Last season, Ricks hit .375 with 69 hits, 12 HR, 44 RBI, and 16 steals. Ricks is definitely a solid contender for Atlantic 10 Player of the Year in 2015.

Schedule
Dayton is playing one of its toughest nonconference schedules in years, which should be excellent preparation for the Atlantic 10 season. Matchups against Tennessee, Lipscomb, and Ohio highlight the nonconference slate. For the conference matchups, Dayton will host UMass, George Washington, St. Bonaventure, and Rhode Island. The Flyers will hit the road to face La Salle, St. Joseph's, Fordham, and St. Louis. In April, Dayton will hit the road to face Fordham and St. Joseph's on two straight weekends. This trip will go a long way in determining where the Flyers finish.

Outlook
Dayton has all the pieces in play for its best season in a long time. The Flyers are made up of talented returnees and have an excellent freshmen class. Dayton should finish over .500 this season and finish in the top four in the conference.

2015 Schedule Highlights

Here are the nonconference games that Atlantic 10 teams will play against teams that advanced to NCAA Regionals last year.

February 6 Dayton vs. Tennessee
February 6 George Washington vs. Chattanooga
February 6 George Mason vs. UCF
February 7 George Washington vs. Auburn
February 7 George Washington vs. UAB
February 7 George Mason vs. UCF
February 7 St. Louis vs. Mississippi State
February 8 St. Louis vs. Mississippi State
February 8 URI vs. Stetson

February 13 Fordham vs. Tennessee
February 13 George Mason vs. USC Upstate
February 14 Fordham vs. South Florida
February 14 UMass vs. Houston
February 14 UMass vs. DePaul

February 20 St. Bonaventure vs. Bradley
February 20 St. Louis vs. Ohio
February 21 Fordham vs. Bryant
February 22 St. Joseph's vs. NC State

February 28 Fordham vs. Georgia

March 1 Fordham vs. Minnesota
March 1 Dayton vs. Lipscomb

March 6 URI vs. James Madison
March 6 La Salle vs. Kansas
March 6 La Salle vs. Stetson
March 7 UMass vs. Northwestern
March 7 UMass vs. Louisville
March 7 George Mason vs. Iona
March 7 La Salle vs. Chattanooga
March 7 La Salle vs. Stetson
March 8 George Mason vs. Iona

March 11 St. Bonaventure vs. Virginia Tech
March 13 Fordham vs. Missouri
March 13 UMass vs. Louisville
March 14 Fordham vs. NC State
March 15 Fordham vs. Lipscomb
March 15 St. Joseph's vs. Green Bay

March 24 Fordham vs. Northwestern
March 24 George Washington vs. Dartmouth
March 25 URI at Bryant (DH)
March 25 Fordham vs. Iona

April 1 St. Louis at Missouri

April 14 Dayton at Ohio (DH)
April 15 St. Louis at SIU Edwardsville

April 22 Fordham at Hofstra
April 22 UMass at Boston University (DH)

April 28 St. Louis vs. SIU Edwardsville

2014 Summer Update

If you have any sort of news, please email us at atlantic10softball@gmail.com. Please send recruiting updates and summer stats.

2015 Scheduling News
St. Bonaventure will have a challenging slate in 2015, as the Bonnies will head to tournaments at Tennessee State, Hawaii, Coastal Carolina, and Winthrop. At the Tennessee State tournament, the Bonnies will face Tennessee State, Miami, Bradley, Loyola Marymount, and Northern Kentucky. In Hawaii, the Bonnies will face Hawaii, Virginia Tech, Columbia, and Western Illinois. St. Bonaventure will also have non-conference matchups against Pitt, Canisius, Niagara, Youngstown State, Robert Morris, and Marist in 2015.

There will also be no A10 team at the Mary Nutter Classic in 2015.

Coaching Moves

Danielle Henderson was named head coach of UMass-Lowell

UMass great and 2000 Olympian Danielle Henderson accepted the head coaching position at UMass-Lowell. Henderson will do great work in building this young program up and this is a squad that's definitely worth keeping an eye on.

George Washington assistant and recruiting wiz Dan Sperl returned to Jacksonville University as an assistant coach. Sperl is responsible for many of the Colonials recruiting wins over the past few years and he definitely raised the bar for recruiting in the A10.

After Bob Baxter retired this offseason, Bridget Orchard completed her staff by adding Notre Dame great Laura Winter. Winter's experience with movement pitches and changing speeds will be huge for the Rams' talented staff of Michele Daubman, Rachel Gillen, Patti Maloney, and Lauren Quense.

Dayton hired Sarah Willis as its new pitching coach. Willis replaces Sarah Harman who left to become the head coach of Marion Military Institute. Willis comes from SEMO, where she served as an assistant after finishing her playing days at Texas Tech.

Former Temple coach Joe DiPietro landed on his feet at Hampton University. After an incredibly difficult final season at Temple, it's great to see him land on his feet.

Current Coaching Vacancies
Dayton Assistant Coach (to replace Katie Campbell)
George Washington Assistant Coach (to replace Dan Sperl)
George Washington Assistant Coach (to replace Stef Call)
UMass Assistant Coach (to replace Danielle Henderson)
St. Joseph's Assistant Coach (to replace Monica Aguilar)

New Players
Rhode Island's complete freshmen class has been announced, as Paige Julich, Bri Castro, Kylie Shivery, Madi Housel, and Jess Proia will be joining the Rams. In addition, Andrea Chiaradio and CW Post transfer Dana Moss will be joining the Rams.

Fordham softball has added two huge transfers in Lindsay Mayer and Ally Vergona. Bridget Orchard needs to replace Elise Fortier and Gabby Luety in 2015 and Mayer and Vergona will play big part in that. Mayer is an outstanding defensive shortstop who is no slouch at the plate either. Vergona is a solid catcher who figures to compete for time with Kayla Lombardo, Stephanie Ferri, and Claudia Law. The Rams are the deepest team in the league right now and are looking poised for another title.

La Salle has added Hartford transfer Mackenzie Obert. Obert is a talented player who started every game for the Hawks last season. She should definitely be an impact performer for the Explorers.

Leaving Players
Ashley Dumoulin will not be returning to URI in 2015. Dumoulin has transferred to Louisiana-Monroe.

Misc
Recent La Salle graduate Emily Moran was featured in the NCAA's Champion magazine for the speech she gave at La Salle's graduation. This Explorer has big things in her future.

Recruiting Update

With the biggest recruiting weekend of the year almost upon us, here is how the A10 currently looks in terms of recruiting:

Please message any updates via Twitter, Facebook, or email (atlantic10softball@gmail.com)

Dayton
Manda Cash P Ohio Nightmare 2014
Kailee Budicin IF New Lenox Lightning 2014
Kayla Haberstich SS New Lenox Lightning 2014
Jaclyn Kweder OF Indiana Shockwaves 2014
Kyle Davidson C Ohio Lasers Black 2015
Kelly Fitzpatrick OF Georgia Force 2015
Kayla Laquiere 3B Michigan Batbusters 2015
Aspyn Novak OF Beverly Bandits 2015

Fordham
Madison Shaw IF/C RI Thunder 2014
Morgan Figueroa OF WA Ladyhawks 2014
Jessica Hughes IF NJ Gators 2015
Kylie Michael C California Cruisers 2015
Skylar Johnston 1B/3B Virginia Legends 2016

George Mason
Jade Fleming IF Dallas Tigers 2014
Katie Holehouse 1B/3B Vienna Stars 2014
Lizzie Seymour IF Beverly Bandits 2014
Brooke Sullivan 2B/C Tri-State Thunder 2014 
Marina Vitalich P Firecrackers-Clarke 2015
Victoria Webster 1B/UT So Cal Breakers 2015

George Washington
Sarah Costlow P So Cal Athletics-Quarles 2014
Alana Anderson OF Arizona Storm 2014
Aiyana Leal-Robles C So Cal Athletics-Quarles 2014
Rochelle Draper 2B Jets Gold 2014
Morgan Rinehart OF Vienna Stars 2014
Ashley Pilcher P Texas Shockwave 2014
Chloe Braun P Gold Coast Hurricanes 2015
Ashley Schnarrs UT Vienna Stars 2015
Riley Tejcek IF Indiana Magic 2015
Kaitlin Bluff P So Cal Athletics-Richardson 2016
Raine Wilson UT Richmond Diamonds 2016

La Salle
Valerie Pineiro 3B NJ Gators 2014
Taylor Rohrbaugh P Krunch Gold 2014
Angelina Refice OF Lower South Liberty 2014
McKenzie Peace P Georgia Knockouts 2014
Marlo Roadcap P Rock 18 Gold 2015
Emma Schweigert IF East Coast Elite 2015
Meghan Nally 1B/OF Lower South Liberty 2016
Courtney Shupp C/1B Lower South Liberty 2016

UMass
Meg Colleran P East Coast Firecrackers 2014
Gianna Hathaway SS RI Thunder 2014
Emily Neal OF Pennsbury Gems 2014
Erin Stacevicz OF Delco Chaos 2015
Melissa Garcia OF American Pastime 2015

URI
Jessica Proia IF Concord Raiders 2014
Madison Housel C NJ Pride 2014

St. Bonaventure
Hailey Blencoe 2B TC Tremors 2014
Josie Borysevicz P East Coast Firecrackers 2014
Morgan Phillips C Battery Lightning 2014
Courtney Rogers UT East Coast Firecrackers 2014
Haley Majot P/UT 2014
Alissa Karjel SS Polar Crush 2015

St. Joseph's
Shannon Puthe 2B NJ Gators 2014
Nikki Alden 2B/P Newtown Rock 2014
Erica Nugent SS NJ Cheetahs 2014
Madison Clarke P Newtown Rock 2014
Taryn Grober 3B Newtown Rock 2015
Alyssa Herion SS Delco Chaos 2015
Stacey Mayer IF East Coast Firecrackers 2015
Abbey Stroud P NJ Cheetahs 2015
Ashley Ventura P NJ Cheetahs 2015
Sarah Ostaszewski C/3B Lower South Liberty 2016

St. Louis
Maddie Baalman P/IF 2014
Miranda Cotton IF St. Louis Academy Gold 2014
Josie Knesel OF St. Louis Chaos 2014
Allie Macfarlane IF Mac N Seitz 2014
Mackenzie Lawson 2B St. Louis Espirit 2015

Kristi Stefanoni has been hired as UMass' head coach

Kristi Stefanoni

After a long drawn out search, UMass hired Interim Head Coach Kristi Stefanoni. This is an excellent hire, as no one has put more blood, sweat, and tears into this program. To put it simply, Kristi is UMass softball.

Stefanoni played four years for Elaine Sortino and advanced to NCAA Regionals in each season and won the Amherst Regional in her senior season, advancing to Super Regionals. Stefanoni was not the star of those teams, but her leadership and poise was evident then. When Lehigh was a run away from advancing to the Regional Final and was threatening with a runner on third, Stefanoni showed calm under pressure and fielded a ground ball and fired home to cut down the runner. Those cool nerves under pressure have helped her become an incredible assistant and now head coach.

After graduating in 2006, Stefanoni stayed on staff and has been an integral part of UMass softball. She has been in charge of the UMass outfield and slappers, which have consistently been among the best in the conference. It will be interesting to see how her recruiting takes shape, but it would not be surprise to see this team built on speed and defense.

UMass brings back a talented group into the 2015 season, as just two starters from last year graduated. Caroline Raymond is back in the circle and she will have some depth around her in freshman Megan Colleran, the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, sophomores Tara Klee and Dakota Smith-Porter, and redshirt junior Emma Mendoker who sat out last season with an injury.

Quianna Diaz-Patterson and Jena Cozza are back to lead the offense and they will be joined by a pair of incoming freshmen who should crack the lineup in Gianna Hathaway and Emily Neal. All in all, the future of UMass softball is looking bright.

UMass Coaching Search

In late May, UMass announced its search for a new head coach. The big question is where Athletic Director John McCutcheon will go in his search. UMass is the premier program of New England, in terms of funding, tradition, and facilities and has likely attracted a great deal of attention, both inside and outside of the UMass softball family. Regardless of the selection, one needs to be made soon, as UMass is already behind the 8-Ball when it comes to recruiting. Many big recruiting camps are coming up and recruits aren't likely to commit to a school that does not have a staff in place.

These are by no means official candidates, just purely speculation.

The UMass Softball Candidates:

Kristi Stefanoni

Kristi Stefanoni has been on staff since 2007 after she graduated in 2006 and has done an outstanding job in her time on the UMass staff. She has helped lead UMass to Atlantic 10 titles in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012. Stefanoni has worked a great deal with the UMass slappers and outfielders, both of which have been some of the best in the league. The past three seasons, Stefanoni has been pillar of strength for this program, as it dealt with Elaine Sortino's illness and death.

Danielle Henderson

Danielle Henderson served as Associate Head Coach this past season and has worked as an assistant coach off and on since graduating in 1999. She has also had stints at Ohio State and Stanford and is a renowned pitching instructor. Henderson is the most accomplished player in Atlantic 10 history, as she won the Honda Award in 1999, in addition to a gold medal with the United States at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. She also had a distinguished professional career with the Akron Racers, Arizona Heat, and New England Riptide, in addition to racking up quite a few wins with the Brakettes. Henderson did a solid job this past season with the UMass pitching staff and "Harry" is most certainly a contender for this job.

Stacey Heintz

Stacey Heintz is a 1992 alum of UMass and has gone on to a lengthy coaching career. After serving as an assistant coach at Hofstra and UMass right out of college, Heintz has been on staff at USF for 14 of the past 17 years. Heintz has worked with three incredible coaches in Elaine Sortino, Bill Edwards, and Ken Eriksen. She is a fiery competitor and knows what it takes to win at the highest level.

Whitney Goldstein

Whitney Goldstein is a 2009 alum of UMass and she is a rising star in the coaching world. Goldstein was an accomplished player at UMass, garnering Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, and All-American honors, while at UMass. Ever since graduating, she has turned around both Amherst College and WPI. Goldstein took over this past season at WPI and the Engineers improved across the board. WPI finished with a 11-23 record in 2013, in 2014 the Engineers recorded a school record (not just in softball) 30-14 mark. WPI improved across the board on offense as the team batting average went from .241 to .326, home runs went from 3 to 19, runs went from 83 to 258, steals went from 11 to 46, and ERA dropped from 3.46 to 2.87. Did we mention that she is a stellar recruiter too? Her fearless nature on the recruiting trail brought a number of outstanding prospects to Amherst and she is doing the same at WPI. She might be the best recruiter of the candidates here. She should be the first candidate any AD in New England goes after.

Kathryn Gleason

Kathryn Gleason is another longtime assistant to Elaine Sortino who has served as Boston University's head coach for the past two seasons and led the Terriers to an appearance at Regionals in Tucson this season. Gleason spent time working as an assistant at UMass, Purdue, and Michigan State and knows what it takes to play at softball's highest level. Gleason is an aggressive coach who is not afraid to turn her team loose on the bases. The Terriers recorded 105 steals this past season, which is 40 more than the previous season's mark. Gleason is well respected nationally and she played a prominent role in UMass' 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship.

Rachel Lawson

Rachel Lawson is coming off of an appearance at the WCWS with Kentucky and would be an incredible hire for the Minutewomen. It is unlikely that Lawson would leave her program, especially since the have established themselves as one of the top programs in the nation with one of the nicest facilities. If for some reason, Lawson affinity for her alma mater is enough to bring her back, it would immediately put UMass back on the map nationally.

Outside the family:
It would be extremely surprising if anyone other than the candidates listed above is hired, that being said there are a few other coaches worth looking into.

St. John's Head Coach Amy Kvilhaug
Dartmouth Head Coach Rachel Hanson
Bryant Head Coach Shayne Lotito
Tufts Head Coach Cheryl Milligan

UMass will hopefully hire a candidate with strong ties to the program who will return to the program to its glory days.

A10 Standings 4/19

With conference play winding down, here is a look at the updated standings.

1. Fordham 29-16 (9-1)
2. La Salle 17-15 (9-3) 1 GB
3. St. Joseph's 16-16 (6-4) 3 GB
4. St. Louis 20-18 (6-5) 3.5 GB
5. George Mason 19-16 (5-5) 4 GB
   UMass 11-18 (5-5) 4 GB

Update on Temple recruits

Previously we had posted about the unfortunate situation that Temple's recruits found themselves in. Thankfully all of the recruits have found new schools.

Shelby Stracher was the first commit in this class for Joe DiPietro and she hails from Massachusetts. Stracher plays travel ball for the East Coast Firecrackers, which are one of the top, up-and-coming travel teams in the country. Stracher swings a powerful bat and is a great catcher behind the plate. For her high school last year, Stracher hit .508 with 5 HR and 32 RBI. She showed off her power on the big stage by hitting a homerun at the Premier Nationals. 
Stracher will play for Towson next year.

Isabel Hansbury was a real steal for Coach DiPietro. Hansbury is a talented third baseman and shortstop from Tuff-N-Tuffer Gold, known as TNT. Hansbury's athleticism will make her a real asset to any team at any of the infield spots. Hansbury picked Temple over Wagner and Haverford originally, hopefully she will get wonderful options again this time around.
Hansbury will play for Hofstra next year.

Devon Steiner is a talented third baseman and shortstop from Delaware who swings a powerful bat. Steiner plays for the Delco Chaos, which is one of the top travel programs in the Mid-Atlantic Region. For her high school, Steiner put up gaudy numbers in 2012, hitting .484 with 4 HR and 35 RBI. Needless to say, she would have been a natural fit for Temple's high octane offense.
Steiner will play for Coastal Carolina next year.

Jessica Hallett was a Temple signee from Arizona, who comes from the storied Lil Saints travel ball team in Arizona. Hallett is another very powerful infielder who would have fit in nicely with Temple's powerful offense. She hit .363 with 33 hits, 6 HR, and 29 RBI for her high school team. In travel ball she really shined, hitting 15 HR this past season for the Lil Saints. Temple was counting on Hallett for power and defense at the hot corner.
Hallett will play for FIU next year.

Michele Sykora is a legacy at Temple with her sister Christina, having played for four years under Joe DiPietro from 2009-2012. Christina Sykora also went on to become Temple's first ever player in the National Pro Fastpitch League this summer. Sykora is a second baseman and outfielder from the Jersey Fusion. Sykora's tenacity and athleticism were tailor made for the Owls.
Sykora will play for Stony Brook next year.

The Owls also had a verbal commitment from Amanda Kulp, a 2015 recruit. Kulp will have a little more time to recover, but she must also deal with the fact that a lot of the recruiting money is off the table. Kulp is a speedy, left handed hitting second baseman and outfielder who figures to be a solid top of the order hitter at the next level.
Kulp has verballed to UConn.