Centennial Conference Preseason Poll
Centennial Conference Team-by-Team Preview
HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Centennial Conference released its annual softball preview on Wednesday. The Haverford College softball team was predicted to finish ninth, receiving 12 voting points in the poll of the conference's head coaches.
Washington College, the team Haverford defeated to win the Centennial Conference Championship during the 2016 season was selected as the preseason favorite. Gettysburg, McDaniel, and defending Centennial Conference Tournament Champion Franklin & Marshall rounded out the top four teams.
Haverford's placement came in spite of the Fords returning five of their starters from the 2016 championship team and three more sophomores who were full-time starters on the 2017 team during what were their rookie seasons. Haverford will also welcome five first year players to the team along with one sophomore transfer to give the Fords their largest roster in several seasons.
The Fords return three All-Centennial Conference performers from a season ago. Junior Julia Blake was named first-team All-Centennial Conference after garnering honorable mention accolades during her first year with the team. She batted .413 with in 2017 with a .613 slugging percentage and .488 on-base percentage.
Senior Jessica Koshinski, a two-time first-team All-Centennial Conference selection was an honorable mention honoree last spring. She hit .342 last year and has nine home runs in her first three seasons. Sophomore Ashley Sisto was an honorable mention All-CC performer in centerfield during her rookie season. She batted .325 as a first year and has been named the Centennial Conference Player of the Week on one occasion.
Seniors Alex Craig and Emily Gorman, along with junior Rachel Wolfson have also been starters at their respective positions during the past two seasons, while returning sophomore starters Briana Quinn and Temma Levis will look to build upon their rookie season success from the 2017 campaign.
The home opener for the Fords is scheduled for Saturday, March 3 against Rowan with that doubleheader set to get underway at 12 p.m. on the Class of '95 Field. Centennial Conference play opens on Saturday, March 24 at Dickinson. The conference tournament will be held from Friday, May 4 through Sunday, May 6 for the top four teams in the regular season standings.
Haverford has made the Centennial Conference Tournament seven times in school history, including four of the past five years. The Fords brought home the conference trophy on three occasions, winning the title in 2006, 2014, and 2016.