Softball Predicted to Finish Second in Annual Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll

League Release
 
Newport News, Va. – Fordham softball has been predicted to finish second in the Atlantic 10's annual preseason coaches poll, the league announced on Wednesday afternoon. The Rams garnered 71 points, including three first-place votes, to finish just three points shy of George Washington, who received four first-place votes.
 
"Our team had a competitive and successful fall season and has had a productive winter preseason." Fourth-year head coach Melissa Inouye said, "We're really excited to compete again in preseason tournaments against quality opponents as we focus on this first phase of our season."
 
Rounding out the top-five were Saint Joseph's (55 points and the final two first-place votes), Massachusetts (54), and Dayton (53). Saint Louis (42), George Mason (25), Rhode Island (20), and St. Bonaventure (11) wrapped up the poll, which now stands at nine teams in the A-10.
 
The Rams saw a stretch of seven consecutive Atlantic 10 championships snapped last Spring. Fordham earned the #2 seed after finishing the conference season with a 17-3 record, posting a 37-10 overall record by year's end. Devon Miller became the eighth Ram to earn A-10 Rookie of the Year honors, also garnering First Team All-Conference accolades, with Sarah Taffet and Brianna Pinto being named to the Second Team and Bella Ayala and Bailey Enoch landing on the All-Rookie team. The quartet of Miller, Pinto, Madie Aughinbaugh, and Rachel Hubertus all were also selected to the NFCA All-Region Third Team, as well.
 
In the classroom, a program-record 13 Rams also earned Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete honors, with Aughinbaugh also garnering A-10 All-Academic and both Hubertus and Pinto earning CoSIDA Academic All-District.
 
Fordham saw Aughinbaugh, one of the program's top pitchers and two-way players, graduate among five total, but return every other starter from a year ago, with five freshman joining the program. Coach Inouye, who received a contract extension, also added former Holy Cross head coach Jennifer Lapicki as her associate head coach.
 
Fordham's 2022 campaign, announced in full here, begins this weekend at the Grand Canyon Kick-Off Classic. The Rams begin play against Weber State on Friday at 3 p.m. EST.