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Softball Picked to Finish Ninth in CCAA Preseason Poll

SAN RAMON -- Heading into 2016 with eight freshmen and just two seniors, the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros were picked to finish ninth of 11 teams in a preseason poll of California Collegiate Athletic Association league head coaches, it was announced this morning.  Winner of back-to-back CCAA Tournament Titles in 2010 and 2011, the Sonoma State Seawolves edged Humboldt State as the top pick of the coaches for the regular season crown.

This year also marks the first in which the Seawolves have topped the Conference's annual coaches' poll and with just five points separating the top three teams, Sonoma State snagged the top spot with 91 points and four first-place coaches' votes. Reigning CCAA and CCAA Tournament Champion Cal State Monterey Bay also garnered four first-place votes, but was selected to finish third behind Humboldt State. The Lumberjacks collected 89 points and two first-place votes, while the Otters followed with 86 points.

Rounding out the top four and the post-season tournament field was Chico State with 78 points and one first-place coaches vote.

The Toros return seniors in pitcher Jamie Duran and outfielder Jasmine Ruiz, as well as junior outfielder Madison Murphy, with the latter earning Honorable Mention All-CCAA honors despite missing 10 games last year.  CSUDH head coach Kim Aggabao, who guided her team to six more overall and five more league victories in 2015 than in 2014, will look to bring the Toros back to postseason play for the first time since 2013, when the Cardinal and Gold hosted its second-consecutive NCAA Super Regional tournament.

Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego were both fifth with 53 points, followed by Cal State San Marcos (45), Ca State East Bay (43), Cal State Dominguez Hills (34), Stanislaus State (17), and San Francisco State (16).

The Seawolves, who finished with the second-most wins (42-21, 24-11 CCAA) in program history will have to do without last season's top two CCAA hitters in Ancia Purdy and Keeley Ray, who hit .458 and .455, respectively. Even with the losses, the West Region runner-up still return 17 players from last years roster. Highlighting this year's team, which includes 10 starters will be two-time defending CCAA Pitcher of the Year Amanda Llerena. The four-year senior wrapped up last season at 26-14, while compiling an ERA of 2.68 and racking up a conference-leading 244 strikeouts, eight shutouts, and four saves.

The Lumberjacks wrapped up the 2015 season with an overall record of 42-19, marking it the third straight season HSU won 40 or more games and the programs third-consecutive NCAA appearance.  Humboldt brings back 16 players, 10 starters from last year's team, including All America second baseman Tiffany Hollingsworth and All-CCAA selections — Darrian Harris, Katie Obbema, Julie Pena, Hannah Holland, and Madison Williams. Hollingsworth was outstanding offensively last season, hitting .369 with a Conference-best 17 home runs and 65 RBI.

Cal State Monterey Bay had arguably one of the toughest lineups in the nation last season, leading them to a stellar 47-12 record, which included a 25-6 record in Conference play. Despite the loss of All-American utility-pitcher and last year's CCAA co-Pitcher and Player of the Year Cori Reinhardt, the Otters return a significant portion of last year's roster, including All-America selections — Madison Casto and Bianca Noriega — as well as outfielders Anneliese Lopez and Courtney Varela. In 2015 Castro led the Otters with a .444 average, while totaling a team-leading 76 hits and 21 doubles.  Noriega hit .411 with nine home runs and 53 RBI as the teams designated player.

Otters' head coach and two-time reigning CCAA Coach of the Year Andrea Kenney will also look to her top returning pitcher Lindsey Clarkson to help lead this teams defense. Last year Clarkson was 15-6 with a .311 ERA.

Chico State concluded the 2015 season with a 29-22 overall record that included a 28-18 mark in CCAA play. That mark earned the program its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2012. Like the Seawolves, Lumberjacks, and Otters, the Wildcats bring back a number of familiar faces. In her seventh year with the program, head coach Angel Shamblin will look upon Desiree Gonzalez, Alli Cook, Tori Zimmermann, and CCAA Freshman of the Year Haley Gilham, to lead this year's squad.

Three squads were named in the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association Preseason Coaches' Poll. Humboldt State made its 2016 debut at No 13, while Sonoma State is No. 19, and Cal State Monterey Bay is No. 25.

The Conference's newest member — Cal State San Marcos — will be the first team to swing into non-conference play as they take on Vanguard on January 29.

2016 CCAA SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
Predicted FinishSchool (First-Place Votes)Total Points
1Sonoma State (4)91
2Humboldt State (2)89
3Cal State Monterey Bay (4)86
4Chico State (1)78
T5Cal State San Bernardino53
T5UC San Diego53
7Cal State San Marcos45
8Cal State East Bay43
9Cal State Dominguez Hills34
10Stanislaus State17
11San Francisco State16

Conference play is scheduled to begin Friday, Feb. 12. The CCAA Tournament returns to Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton for another year and is set for the weekend of April 29 - May 1.
 
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Players Mentioned

Jamie Duran

#6 Jamie Duran

P
5' 7"
Senior
L/L
Madison Murphy

#17 Madison Murphy

OF
5' 4"
Junior
L/R
Jasmine Ruiz

#25 Jasmine Ruiz

OF
5' 3"
Redshirt Senior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Jamie Duran

#6 Jamie Duran

5' 7"
Senior
L/L
P
Madison Murphy

#17 Madison Murphy

5' 4"
Junior
L/R
OF
Jasmine Ruiz

#25 Jasmine Ruiz

5' 3"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
OF