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NewsvineWith the beginning of the season on the horizon, Stanford women’s softball have their work cut out for them. In the Pacific-10 Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the Cardinal was picked to finish fifth, despite having ended the 2006 season as the No. 11 team in the country.
Defending national champion Arizona sits atop the poll with five of eight first-place votes. UCLA, the 2006 conference champion, claimed the other three to place second in the poll. Arizona State edged out Oregon State for the third spot, and the Cardinal sits just ahead of California and Washington, with Oregon at the bottom.
Stanford finished last season with a record of 42-18 overall, 10-11 in the Pac-10, and advanced to the Tuscaloosa Super Regional. The Cardinal’s 11th place finish in the national poll put the team behind five conference foes, No. 1 Arizona, No. 3 UCLA, No. 6 Arizona State, No. 8 Oregon State and No. 9 Cal.
The Cardinal graduated five seniors from that team: infielders Megan Bordelon and Shoney Hixson, outfielder Catalina Morris, catcher and shortstop Lauren Lappin and pitcher Laura Severson. Four freshmen have joined the Stanford roster since then: outfielders Alissa Haber and Michelle Schroeder, infielder Shannon Koplitz and catcher Rosey Neill.
Stanford’s season begins February 9 at the Kajikawa Classic in Phoenix, Ariz.
Lacrosse picked No. 16 in poll
Set to begin 2007 play on February 10, the Stanford women’s lacrosse team was picked to finish 16th by Lacrosse Magazine. The Cardinal, the two-time defending champion of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, rank higher than any other MPSF team. Denver is the only MPSF foe in the top 20, coming in at No. 19 Denver.
In 2006, the Cardinal reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time, after finishing the conference season with a record of 4-1. Stanford lost in the first round of the tournament to end the season 12-6 overall, but became the first team from the West Coast to receive a tournament bid.
Two-time defending national champion Northwestern was picked to finish on top once again in the 2007 poll.
Senior captains Liz Piselli, Rachel Dyke, Bryanne Gilkinson and Michelle DeChant will lead their team into the season opener against Oregon with Saint Mary’s and No. 3 Duke waiting in the wings.