LOUDONVILLE, NY – Siena Softball will travel away from the wintery northeast and down to the Sunshine State to begin its 44th season this weekend, competing in the Madeira Beach Invitational II presented by Powerline Softball in Madeira Beach, Florida.

The Saints will begin their 2019 campaign with a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 22, facing off against Cornell at 4 PM and Drexel at 6:30. Siena will then battle with Middle Tennessee State at 11 AM on Saturday, and Detroit Mercy at 1:30 PM. The team's weekend concludes against North Florida on Sunday at 2 PM.

Starting Lineup: Siena Softball Opening Weekend Quick Hits

• The Saints will take the field in Madeira Beach for the fourth time in program history, having also played in the event in 2017, 2016 & 2015. The team is 2-13 all-time in Madeira Beach, with both wins coming in 2016 against UMass Lowell and Providence.
• Under ninth year head coach Bill Lajeunesse, Siena is looking to build off an 18-26 mark in 2018, which included a 13-7 record and a third-place finish in the MAAC. The team has placed inside the top-3 in the conference in each of the last two seasons and has amassed double-digit league wins in each of the last six.
• Siena was picked to finish fifth in the 2019 MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, with senior captain Madysen Cossack receiving recognition on the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
• The team returns seven defensive starters and two pitchers from last season, including a pair of All-Conference performers. Cossack earned First Team All-MAAC honors for the second straight year, while Isabelle DeChiaro was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
• Siena is 6-26 all-time when facing Cornell, having split a pair of games with the Big Red last year. The Saints are 0-1 against Middle Tennessee, dropping a 4-1 decision to the Blue Raiders in the teams' only previous meeting in 2003. The team will meet Detroit Mercy for the first time since a win over the squad in 2001, holding a 1-1 mark all-time against the Titans. Siena is 0-1 against UNF in program history, having dropped the only head-to-head meeting in 2015. Drexel is the first of eight new opponents that the team will face this year.
• Cossack returns for her senior season after leading the nation in doubles per-contest (0.52) in 2018 and re-setting her own single-season program record for two-baggers (23). The Agoura Hills, CA native led the conference in batting average (.406), doubles (23) and slugging percentage (.725), while finishing second in total bases (100) and fourth in hits (56) and on-base percentage (.468).
• Three players enter the 2019 season with their name on a top-10 list in Siena's career record book. Cossack is currently second in career batting average (.366), on-base percentage (.451), slugging percentage (.619) and doubles (45) needing seven to own the program record in the latter. The senior also sits fourth in walks (62), fifth in RBI (103), sixth in total bases (250) and seventh in home runs (19). Junior pitcher Maddie McMahon is currently tied for third all-time in shutouts (5) and seventh in strikeouts (197), while senior Jess Vollmer is third in career stolen bases (37).
• Joining the squad for the 2019 campaign are freshmen Sarah Dowalo, Yamila Evans, Natalie Marchese and Sabrina Vargas, as well as former Siena standout Mandy Ferro, who signs on as an assistant coach.
• Cossack and senior infielder Jazmin Ortiz will serve as team captains throughout the 2019 season.

On Deck Circle:

The Saints will stick around the Sunshine State for the duration of next week, preparing for weekend competition at the Madeira Beach Invitational III, which will mark the first time in program history that the team has participated in the tournament in consecutive weekends. The Green and Gold will take on Central Michigan, Presbyterian, Florida International, Florida A&M and Georgia Southern in their second slate of action.