2019 GNAC SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL

BOSTON – In the first season of GNAC subdivisions, the Suffolk softball team was tabbed to sit atop the North Division per a vote of the league's 12 head coaches, the conference announced Wednesday morning. 

In the new adopted divisional format, the league schedule will feature doubleheaders against all five divisional opponents, plus three additional twinbills against half of its six non-divisional foes. All 16 contests will count in the league's standings for conference tournament positioning. 

Suffolk, under the leadership of seventh-year head coach Jaclyn Davis, has won at least a share of the conference regular-season tilt in 2015, 2016 and 2018 and looks to play its way back to the title tilt for the third straight season. The Rams, who received seven first-place votes in the north division for 63 votes, looks to claim the conference crowd for the second time overall, first under Davis and first since the inaugural GNAC campaign in 1996. 

Emmanuel slid into second in the North Division behind five first-place nodes for 59 with Saint Joseph's (Maine)'s 59 points putting the Monks in a close third. Norwich (32), Rivier (31) and Anna Maria (13) complete the North Division. 

In the South Division, four-time reigning champ Johnson & Wales led the way, receiving 10 of the 12 first-place nods for 70 points. Albertus Magnus received the two remaining first-place votes for 51 points and the second spot in the South Division. Simmons (49), Saint Joseph (Conn.) (45), Lasell (23) and Regis (14) round out the South Division's rankings. 

The Rams and Wildcats are no strangers to one another within the GNAC Softball landscape, as the two programs have met in the league championship each of the past two seasons. 

Davis enters her seventh season on the Rams' bench with a fresh looking 18-player roster after losing six players apart of the winningest softball class to graduation. The 35th-edition of Suffolk softball is comprised of a wealth of experience and newcomers highlighted by junior Ashley Zulla (.432/.500/.802), and seniors Jaclyn Flint (.381/.424/.571), McKenzie McGrath (.361/.410/.435) and Hannah DelCervo (10.2 IP, 15 Ks).

Suffolk is set for its season opener in the Sunshine State Saturday, March 9 against Rhodes at 12 p.m., with the Rams set to square off that same day with Plymouth State at 4:30 p.m.