Feb. 6, 2009

Canisius College is the coaches' choice to win the MAAC in this year's preseason softball poll. Siena tied for fifth with Iona out of nine teams.

Canisius topped the polls with 79 points, ahead of Niagara (69), Fairfield (63) and Marist (43). Siena and Iona received 39 points and were chosen ahead of Manhattan (33), Rider and Saint Peter's, who both finished with 20 points.

Siena finished last season with a 16-33 overall record, a 5-11 record in the MAAC and finished tied for seventh in the conference. The Saints are returning 15 players from last season and Coach Parks fully expects to be a top team in the MAAC.

Junior Lauren Weingart was selected to the All-MAAC Preseason Team. Last season, Weingart hit .316 with five home runs and drove in 24 runs while playing a variety of positions in the field. Parks believes "she has only scratched the surface of what she is capable of doing" and she is expected to be one of the team's top run producers.

Siena opens up their season on February 24 at Campbell University and will begin MAAC play when they host Iona on March 29.