NEW YORK – Defending BIG EAST champion Villanova was picked as the preseason favorite in the BIG EAST Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Thursday. The Wildcats earned six first place votes and 62 points, followed by last season’s regular season champion DePaul, which received three first place votes and 58 points.
UConn, which fell in the championship game last season in its return to the conference, is slated third with 48 points. Creighton sits in fourth with 41 points, while Butler rounds out the top five with 39 points. St. John’s slides in at sixth with 26 points, while Seton Hall (22 points), Providence (20 points) and Georgetown (8 points) round out the preseason rankings.
Villanova, picked to win the league for the second consecutive season, is fresh off its first BIG EAST Tournament title and first NCAA Tournament appearance. The Wildcats have reached back-to-back BIG EAST championship games after not appearing in one since 2003. Paige Rauch returns to Villanova in 2022 looking to add more hardware to an already bulky trophy case. Rauch is the two-time reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year, and in 2021 she became the first player in BIG EAST softball history to win both BIG EAST Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year. The Windsor, N.Y., native also became just the second Villanova softball player to earn an NFCA All-American recognition.
DePaul enters the season fresh off a 13-1 conference record and a BIG EAST regular season title. It was the Blue Demons’ best winning percentage in conference play since 2014. However, DePaul failed to win a game at the BIG EAST Championship for the first time since 2016. DePaul returns two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Maranda Gutierrez, as well as fellow all-conference players Brooke Johnson, Kate Polucha and Nicole Sullivan. The Blue Demons were solid on both sides of the diamond last season, ranking first in BIG EAST play in team batting average at .298, as well as first in team ERA at 1.94.
UConn made its return to the BIG EAST Conference last season with a bang, advancing all the way to the championship game of the BIG EAST Tournament. The Huskies bring back a pair of All-BIG EAST First Team performers, including BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Jana Sanden. The shortstop had the sixth highest batting average during conference play at .393 and clubbed a BIG EAST-best seven home runs during league play. The Huskies were dynamite on the basepaths last season, stealing 88 bases as a team, 40 more than any other team in the BIG EAST.
Creighton is tasked with replacing two-time All-BIG EAST performer Ashley Cantu, who was one of just four players in the conference to hit over .400 last season. However, the Bluejays have the returners necessary to get back to the BIG EAST Championship, led by First Team All-Conference DP Kailey Wilson. The junior hit .432 in conference play last season, the second highest mark in the conference.
Butler turned some heads during last season’s BIG EAST Championship after its 8-1 win over DePaul in the tournament opener, and will look to build off that momentum in 2022. The Bulldogs have all the pieces to do so, returning All-BIG EAST First Team honorees Lauren Fey and Karli Ricketts. Fey had the third highest average in conference play at .417, while Ricketts held opponents to just a .220 batting clip, also good enough for third best in the league.
St. John’s slots in at sixth in the preseason poll and will look to replace the production of four-time All-BIG EAST First Teamer Gretchen Bowie and two-time First Team member Marissa Rizzi. The Red Storm look to return to the BIG EAST Championship after missing last season for the first time since 2013.
A new era begins at
Seton Hall under the direction of new head coach Angie Churchill. The Pirates are without two of their top hitters from a season ago in Hailey Arteaga and Darby Pandolfo, but bring back Shelby Smith and Kiana Tate, who each hit .333 during conference play in 2021. Seton Hall is in search of its first BIG EAST Championship berth since 2015.
Providence enters the 2022 season with plenty of youth to build upon. More than half of the Friars’ roster is made up of underclassmen, with seven entering their first collegiate season. However, that does not mean this team is limited in veteran prowess. Dani Alvarez returns in the circle for Providence, coming off a season in which her 2.62 ERA during BIG EAST play ranked second in the conference and helped earn her Second Team All-Conference honors.
Georgetown did not participate in the 2021 season, and finished 8-15 in the shortened 2020 season. The Hoyas welcome back Mae Forshey, who batted .451 and hit three home runs during the 2020 season. This will be Pat Conlan’s 16
th season at the helm of the Hoyas’ softball program.
BIG EAST play gets underway on March 11, with the top four teams advancing to the BIG EAST Championship Presented by JEEP. The Championship is set to return to Rosemont, Ill. at Parkway Bank Sports Complex May 12-14.
2022 BIG EAST Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(first-place votes)
- Villanova (6) – 62
- DePaul (3) – 58
- UConn – 48
- Creighton – 41
- Butler – 39
- St. John’s – 26
- Seton Hall – 22
- Providence – 20
- Georgetown – 8