Softball Tabbed to Finish Fifth in MASCAC Preseason Poll

Buzzards Bay, Mass. – The Framingham State University softball team received one first place vote and has been chosen to finish fifth in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) preseason poll in voting conducted by the league's coaches. 

The Rams received 39 total points and were just two points behind Worcester State who claimed the third spot with 41 points and a single point behind Bridgewater State who slipped into fourth with 40 points.  The Lancers also received a single first place vote. 

Defending conference tournament champion, Salem State, and defending regular season champion, Westfield State, shared the top spot with three first place votes apiece and 57 total points each.  Rounding out the poll was MCLA in sixth with 25 points, Fitchburg State in seventh with 21 points and Massachusetts Maritime in eighth with eight points. 

The Rams finished the 2010 season with a 17-22 overall record and a 9-5 conference record which placed them in the fourth seed for the conference tournament.  The Rams return a solid core of veterans including 2010 First Team All-MASCAC selections in designated player Andrea DiTerlizzi (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and first baseman Alyssa Shea (Lakeville, Mass.).

Celebrating 40 years of Student-Athlete Excellence during the 2010-11 academic year, the MASCAC is comprised of eight NCAA Division III member institutions: Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University.  Two other NCAA Division III member schools, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sport of men's ice hockey.