NEW YORK – The Creighton Bluejays topped the 2019 BIG EAST Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll for the first time in program history, announced by the league office on Thursday. Coming off a runner-up finish in the 2018 campaign, the Bluejays were chosen by the eight head coaches as the team most likely to hoist the conference trophy in May. The top four teams in the poll each received at least one first-place vote. Creighton breaks up a three-year streak in which St. John’s was picked as the preseason favorite.
Creighton garnered 43 total points in the poll including five first-place votes. Villanova was picked second with 39 points and one first-place nod. Third place St. John’s and fourth place DePaul each picked up a first-place vote and totaled 37 and 35 points, respectively. Butler was chosen fifth with 30 points, followed by Seton Hall with 15 points. Georgetown collected 14 points and Providence tallied 11 points to round out the poll.
The league welcomes four new head coaches this season, including three of the top four teams in the preseason poll; Villanova, St. John’s and DePaul, in addition to Providence.
Creighton, the 2018 regular season and tournament runners-up, returns this year as the favorite to take the crown. Coach Brent Vigness is back for his 26th season to manage the Bluejays after leading the team to a 28-15 overall mark and 12-3 record in the BIG EAST. Creighton lost to eventual champion DePaul in the BIG EAST Championship title match last season. In 2018, the team ranked third in batting average (.310) in BIG EAST play and was second in earned run average (2.47). The Bluejays return 2018 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection in Kiele Miller. The sophomore led the league in conference games with a 1.42 ERA and also tallied 64 strikeouts. Creighton will look to make up for the batting prowess of All-BIG EAST First Team member Sam Crowley and second team selection Tash Coffiel.
Villanova, which went 27-24 overall and 10-8 in the BIG EAST a year ago, welcomes new head coach Bridget Orchard to lead the Wildcats in 2019. She returns to her alma mater after 17 successful seasons at Fordham including eight NCAA Tournament appearances. Villanova was the No. 4 seed in last year’s BIG EAST Championship, falling to DePaul in the semifinals. Despite the losses of All-BIG EAST First Team choice Brittany Husk and Second Team member Nikki Alden, the Wildcats will retain the services of first team unanimous selection Angela Giampolo. The sophomore infielder hit .346 and accounted for 14 runs in league play.
St. John’s, the No. 3 seed, fell to No. 2 seed Creighton in last year’s championship semifinals after accumulating a 12-6 league record and 24-26 overall. The Red Storm elevated assistant coach Bob Guerriero to head coach for the 2019 campaign. SJU welcomes back two All-BIG EAST First Team picks in junior catcher Kaitlin Mattera and junior utility player Gretchen Bowie, who was named 2018 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. Their key losses include first teamer and 2018 BIG EAST Player of the Year Krystal Puga and Second Team selection Lauren Zick. A prolific hitting team a year ago, St. John’s led the league in batting average (.329) in BIG EAST play. The Red Storm also tallied the most hits (176) and most home runs (25) last season.
DePaul returns to the field as the reigning BIG EAST regular season and tournament champions. With a record of 35-17 overall and 15-3 in conference play last year, the Blue Demons will look to keep their momentum going with first-year head coach and former DePaul softball standout Tracie Adix-Zins. She previously served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin, Oklahoma State and North Carolina State. No. 1 seed DePaul defeated No. 4 seed Villanova in the 2018 BIG EAST Championship semifinals before downing No. 2 seed Creighton in the title game. DePaul returns two All-BIG EAST First Team selections, including 2018 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, outfielder Kate Polucha and senior Morgan Greenwood. The Blue Demons were dominant on the mound last season, leading the league in ERA (1.96) throughout conference play. DePaul was also second in batting average (.315) and led the league in RBI (103) and runs scored (115).
Butler enters the 2019 season as the fifth pick in the preseason poll after a 20-28 overall record and 7-11 BIG EAST mark from a year ago in which they finished fifth in team standings. Head coach Scott Hall returns for his ninth season with the Bulldogs. Butler lost 2018 BIG EAST First Teamer Alyssa Lach, but will welcome back second team selection in junior outfielder Jenna Foreman who hit .386 last season. The Bulldogs’ fielding percentage (.972) led the league in 2018.
Seton Hall will look to move up in the standings after finishing 19-35 overall and 5-16 in league play in 2018. The Pirates are picked to finish sixth this year as head coach Paige Smith enters her seventh season at the helm. The team will attempt to make up for the loss of 2018 All-BIG EAST Second Team member Sara Foster. Junior pitcher Reganne Camp will lead the Pirates in the circle after posting a .385 ERA and 45 strikeouts last season.
Georgetown finished the 2018 campaign at 16-36 overall and 7-13 in league play. Head coach Pat Conlan will lead the Hoyas for a 14th season. Despite the loss of 2018 All-BIG EAST Second Teamer Theresa Kane, Conlan will retain the services of second team choices senior Sarah Bennett and junior Anna Brooks Pacha. Bennett led Georgetown with seven home runs and 29 RBI, while Pacha led the league in strikeouts (95) and finished with a 4.22 ERA. The Hoyas struck out 115 total batters, which was second-best in the BIG EAST.
Providence welcomes a new leader in Jill Karwoski who spent the last five years as the head coach at Quinnipiac. She previously served as a volunteer assistant coach at Providence in 2012-13. The Friars will look to build upon an overall record of 13-32 and 6-14 league mark from last season. After the loss of 2018 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection Julianne Rurka, Providence will be led by senior outfielder Emma Lee who batted .366 in BIG EAST games and collected 26 hits along with 14 runs. In conference play, Providence was third in ERA (3.80) in 2018.
The 2019 non-conference softball season will commence on Feb. 8, while BIG EAST play will begin on March 23. The season will culminate with the 2019 BIG EAST Softball Championship presented by Jeep on May 10-11, once again at the Ballparks at Rosemont for a sixth consecutive year. The top four teams in the league will battle for the title, beginning with the semifinals on May 10 leading up to the championship game on May 11, which will air on FS1. The winner will earn the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
2019 BIG EAST Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Creighton (5) 43
- Villanova (1) 39
- St. John's (1) 37
- DePaul (1) 35
- Butler 30
- Seton Hall 15
- Georgetown 14
- Providence 11