Owls Picked Fourth in LEC Preseason Softball Poll

KEENE, N.H. 3/5/09 - The Keene State softball team was picked fourth in the LEC preseason softball poll announced on Thursday.

Head Coach Charlie Beach led Keene State College to the 2008 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Championship game last season. The Owls also advanced to the championship game of the conference tournament before falling to the eventual champion, Rhode Island College. Beach led his team to an overall record of 28-14, including an 8-6 mark in the conference circuit.  

Eastern Connecticut State University has been predicted to win the Little East Conference softball regular season title after each of the eight head coaches' casted their votes for the annual preseason coaches' poll.  The Warriors earned five first place votes and 61 total points, outdistancing themselves by two markers from Rhode Island College.

The Anchorwomen received the remaining three first place tallies, while Western Connecticut State University and Keene State College completed the top-half of the projected regular season standings with 46 and 41 points, respectively.


The Little East Conference sponsors a 14-game regular season with each of the eight teams playing a conference doubleheader. The top-six teams in the final regular season standings advance to the 2009 Little East Conference Softball Championship Tournament from April 30 to May 3. The Little East Champion will earn the conference's automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Tournament. In 2008, the Little East received two additional at-large berths. 

Completing the preseason poll in projected order of finish are Plymouth State University (31), University of Southern Maine (22), University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (15), and University of Massachusetts Boston (13).