Atlantic 10 Release

Coming off their second Atlantic 10 title in the past three seasons, the Fordham softball team is expected to repeat in 2014.  In a preseason poll, the conference's ten coaches predicted the Rams to claim this spring's Atlantic 10 Championship, the league office announced today.

Returning six of their nine starters and four All-Conference players from a year ago, the Rams were picked to finish in first, one spot ahead of Saint Joseph's and George Washington, who finished in a tie for second place.  Leading the charge for the Rams will be 2013 First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection Kayla Lombardo, in addition to Elise Fortier and Gabby Luety, both of whom earned Second Team All-Conference and First Team NFCA All-Region distinction in 2013.  Michele Daubman, who earned Academic All-Conference, Captial One/CoSIDA Academic All-District and First Team NFCA All-Region honors last season, will also look to lead Fordham's return to the promised land in 2014.

Rounding out the top five in the preseason poll were Massachusetts and Saint Louis, followed by Dayton and George Mason in sixth and seventh places, respectively.

St. Bonaventure, La Salle and Rhode Island rounded out the bottom of the preseason poll.

The Rams kick off their 2014 campaign in less than two weeks, with games against LIU-Brooklyn and Chattanooga scheduled for February 7th in Orlando, Fla.