SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay softball team is among six favored to reach the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament in the annual CCAA Coaches Preseason Poll released Monday.
The top five teams in the poll were picked in the order in which they finished 2018, led by 2018 champion Chico State. UC San Diego, Stanislaus State, Cal State San Bernardino and Sonoma State followed in order.
"It's always nice to be considered among the teams that will compete for the postseason, but nobody wins the softball championship in January," says CSUMB Head Coach
Andrea Kenney. "There are a lot of quality teams in the CCAA and anything we get out of the season we are going to have to earn on the field. We are looking forward to that opportunity again this season."
The Otters had won five of the last eight CCAA titles (2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017) before suffering an unusual down year in 2018, finishing in eighth place with an 18–22 conference mark and a 25–29 record overall. Nevertheless, the CCAA coaches predict that the Otters will bounce up two spots past San Francisco State and Humboldt State to secure a CCAA Tourney bid.
It's worth noting CSUMB will host the CCAA Tournament May 3–5 at the Otter Sports Complex.
The Otters return several key players, including former All–West Region picks
Hayley Fein (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs HS) and
Lusi Stanley (San Bruno/Mills HS/Howard College) and former first team All–CCAA selection
Courtney Hennings (Amador Valley HS) along with a deep and talented recruiting class for 2019. JuCo All–American
Korina Krueg (Portland State/Cosumnes River College) and Cal Baptist transfer
Shaye Felix (Piedmont Hills HS) are amongst those expected to contribute immediately.
The Otters kickoff their 2019 campaign by playing five games at the Desert Stinger Classic Feb. 1–3 in Las Vegas, Nev. The Otters will open tournament play against Academy of Art Friday (Feb. 1) at 2 p.m.
2019 CCAA SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| No. |
SCHOOL [1st place votes] |
POINTS |
2018 (CCAA) |
2018 (ALL) |
| 1 |
Chico State [10] |
100 |
37–3 |
55–5 |
| 2 |
UC San Diego [1] |
91 |
27–13 |
36–19 |
| 3 |
Stanislaus State |
75 |
23–15 |
32–22 |
| 4 |
Cal State San Bernardino |
65 |
18–16 |
30–22 |
| 5 |
Sonoma State |
61 |
19–17 |
27–22 |
| 6 |
CAL STATE MONTEREY BAY |
49 |
18–22 |
25–29 |
| 7 |
San Francisco State |
46 |
19–21 |
24–31 |
| T-8 |
Cal State East Bay |
38 |
13–27 |
19–36 |
| T-8 |
Humboldt State |
38 |
15–17 |
20–26 |
| 10 |
Cal State Dominguez Hills |
28 |
11–29 |
15–37 |
| 11 |
Cal State San Marcos |
14 |
10–30 |
14–38 |
GO OTTERS!
