ANNVILLE, Pa. (Softball) – The Messiah Falcons were selected as the favorite in the Commonwealth Conference heading into the 2015 season, it was announced Thursday.

Messiah collected 62 points and six of the nine first-place votes in a preseason poll conduct among the conference softball coaches. The Falcons were one game away from the Commonwealth Conference Championship game before being eliminated in 2014. Messiah ended its season in the NCAA regional. The Falcons had a 29-11 (14-2 Commonwealth) record in 2014. Messiah received votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) preseason poll.

Lebanon Valley received 55 points and two first-place votes to be positioned second. The Dutchmen won their second-straight Commonwealth Conference title in 2014. They ended their season in the NCAA regional with 34-6 (14-2 Commonwealth) record.

Alvernia, who finished runner-up in the conference tournament in 2014, collected 50 points and the final first-place vote to be placed third. The Crusaders won the ECAC South Championship in 2014, and finished the season with a 26-15 (9-7 Commonwealth) record.

Widener (42 points), Arcadia (36 points), Stevenson (29 points), Albright (20 points), Lycoming (20 points) and Hood (10 points) rounded out the poll in respective order.


2015 Commonwealth Conference Softball Preseason Poll

Rank – Team, Points (1st-place votes)
1 – Messiah, 62 points (6)
2 – Lebanon Valley, 55 points (2)
3 – Alvernia, 50 points (1)
4 – Widener, 42 points
5 – Arcadia, 36 points
6 – Stevenson, 29 points
7 – Albright, 20 points
8 – Lycoming, 20 points
9 – Hood, 10 points