DePaul Headlines #BIGEASTsb Preseason Poll
NEW YORK - Three-time defending champion DePaul was picked as the BIG EAST softball favorite when the conference released the Preseason Coaches' Poll on Monday. The Blue Demons received six first-place votes and a total of 48 points, as the league's head coaches ranked the teams one through seven and were not allowed to vote for their own programs.
Villanova received the two remaining first-place votes and was chosen to be the runner-up with 43 points, followed by St. John's with 34 points and Creighton with 30 points. Seton Hall (fifth, 25 points) and Providence (sixth, 22 points) rounded out the top six, while Butler (14) and Georgetown (8) ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.
For the third time in three years,
DePaul captured the BIG EAST Championship crown as the Blue Demons recorded a come-from-behind victory in the title game to win its fifth trophy in program history and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 21st time. In 2019, DePaul posted an 11-5 conference record and a 35-16 overall showing. Guiding the team this season will be 2019 Defensive Player of the Year shortstop Maranda Gutierrez along with All-BIG EAST selections Jessica Cothern, Kate Polucha and Gabby O'Riley and tournament most outstanding player in the circle Natalie Halvorson. Gutierrez leads all DePaul returners in home runs (5), runs (15) and tied for a team high with 21 hits. Cothern enters 2020 after starting every game of her career behind the plate. The senior led the Blue Demons with seven doubles, 19 RBI and 21 hits in 2019. Halvorson, named Most Outstanding Player at the 2019 BIG EAST Championship, returns for her second season with the scarlet and blue and looks to build on last season's 7-2 regular-season record in the circle.
Villanova opens the 2020 season after a runner-up finish at the BIG EAST Championship in 2019. Despite the loss of four seniors, including All-BIG EAST Tournament Team selection Delaney Switzer, the Wildcats welcome back 2019 BIG EAST Player of the Year Paige Rauch as well as a strong core of letterwinners. Rauch led the BIG EAST in batting average (.540), slugging percentage (1.060), on base percentage (.635), runs scored (20) and total bases (52) in 2019. The rising junior also spent 50 innings in the circle for Villanova, striking out 65 batters. Angela Giampolo, a second team all-conference honoree, returns to second base after recording 12 hits, nine RBI and three home runs. Sophomore pitcher Sara Kennedy returns to the circle after making seven conference starts and amassing a 3-1 record in her rookie campaign. Kennedy was named to the 2019 all-tournament team after picking up a complete game victory over St. John's in the semifinals.
St. John's returns a veteran group of letterwinners and all-conference honorees from its 2019 squad that won the BIG EAST regular-season title with a 14-4 conference record. Four All-BIG EAST First Teamers return to lead the Red Storm in Gretchen Bowie, Marissa Rizzi, Laura Delgado and Peyton Cody. Bowie and Rizzi shared team-high honors in hits (19) and runs (17) in conference action to lead the Johnnies. Bowie proved to be a problem on the bases for BIG EAST foes as the stealthy baserunner converted on 19-of-19 stolen base attempts. Delgado registered 20 hits and 10 RBI while Cody earned BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year honors after leading the team in batting average (.392), hits (23), doubles (10) and RBI (23). The Red Storm must replace veteran ace and 2019 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Madison Morris but will look to sophomore Angela Saric and a pair of rookies to fill the void.
Creighton is looking to return to the BIG EAST Championship in 2020 after the Bluejays went 8-13 in BIG EAST play and amassed a 20-24 overall record in 2019. Creighton will look to senior Ashley Cantu, an All-BIG EAST First Team selection, to lead the Jays offensively after pacing the team with 24 hits in 2019. Kiara Mills returns as a top offensive threat for the Bluejays as the rising sophomore registered a team-high 16 RBI and swung for six home runs in her rookie campaign en route to All-BIG EAST Second Team honors. CU will look to reload its pitching rotation as the Bluejays return junior Kiele Miller along with newcomers Haley Garcia and Mikayla Santa Cruz.
With last season's top offensive weapons returning and a squad that just missed out on reaching the BIG EAST Championship,
Seton Hall will aim to build off of last season's 24-24 campaign. The Pirates 2020 team features four returners with three or more home runs and double-digit RBI in 2019. Seniors Hailey Arteaga and Janae Barracato will lead the squad at the plate after the duo led The Hall in batting average in 2019 at .418 and .453 marks, respectively. Reganne Camp, an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection, returns to the circle for the Pirates after 15 appearances and eight starts in 2019.
Providence enters 2020 with reigning BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year pitcher Daniela Alvarez leading the way. Alvarez made 14 appearances in the circle as a rookie and turned in a BIG EAST second-best eight wins. Look for Jessica Tomaso and Mackensie Compton to carry the offensive load after a combined 29 hits and 19 RBI in 2019. In its first season under head coach Jill Karwoski, Providence went 30-22 and 11-9 in conference play in 2019, including its first BIG EAST Championship appearance since 2013.
Butler looks to make the next step in 2020 and improve on a 16-32 season (4-12 BIG EAST). The Bulldogs return a pair of All-BIG EAST Second Team selections to its 2020 squad, Maddie Moore and Lauren Fey. During BIG EAST play in 2019, Moore batted .441 with 15 hits, three doubles, seven RBI, while Fey batted .333 with 17 hits, one double and six RBI in BIG EAST games.
With a total of 12 juniors and seniors,
Georgetown will look to its veterans to improve on last year's 14-35 season, including a 6-13 finish in BIG EAST action. Leading the Hoya returners are senior Noelle Holiday, junior Savannah Jones and sophomore Mae Forshey. The trio produced 40 hits, eight home runs and 26 RBI in 2019. The Georgetown circle will see familiar faces as Katie Vannicola, London Diller and Cassie Henning all return.
BIG EAST play begins on March 20, with the top-four teams in the standings at season's end qualifying for the BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep. The league's 2020 postseason tournament is slated to return to the Ballpark at Rosemont for a seventh straight year. In 2020, the tournament will return to a double elimination format for the first time since 2005. Action will begin on May 7 with a champion crowned on May 9. The winner will earn the BIG EAST's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
2020 BIG EAST Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(first-place votes)
1. 1. DePaul (6) - 48
2. 2. Villanova (2) - 43
3. 3. St. John's - 34
4. 4. Creighton - 30
5. 5. Seton Hall - 25
6. 6. Providence - 22
7. 7. Butler - 14
8. 8. Georgetown - 8