BOSTON – The GNAC office released the 2016 Softball Preseason Poll this afternoon and according to the panel of 12 GNAC head softball coaches, the Rams are slated to finish fourth out of 12 teams.

Johnson & Wales is picked to be the favorite as it looks to defend its 2015 GNAC Title. JWU received seven of a possible 12 first-place votes for 132 points. Albertus Magnus was picked second thanks to two first-place nods and 127 points, while Saint Joseph's (Maine) was tabbed to finish third in front of the Rams by just three points (114). With 111 points, thanks to three first-place votes, Suffolk was predicted fourth in the preseason standings. Emmanuel, Simmons, St. Joseph's (Conn.) and Lasell round out the middle of the pack, while Mount Ida, Norwich, Rivier and Anna Maria took the final four spots.

A year ago, Suffolk had one of the most successful seasons in the program's history. The Rams finished with a 25-16 overall record and went 17-5 in the GNAC for a regular-season championship.

Suffolk put together seven series wins, which included four in the first five weekends of conference action.  During that stretch the Rams put together an 11-game win-streak. After falling in the GNAC tournament, Suffolk took its talents to the ECAC Northeast tournament where the Rams defeated Becker, 3-2, before falling to Brandeis (10-5) and familiar foe Albertus Magnus (2-1).

Ten letterwinners from the 2015 historic run will return for the Rams headlined by first-team all-conference selections Devlin Frost and Delaney Sylvester, who was also a NFCA All-Region pick.

First pitch of the 2016 season will be over Spring Break as the Rams head to Naples, Florida to compete in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic for the second straight year. Suffolk opens up with Kenyon on Sunday, March 13 at 9 a.m., before facing off against Brockport at 11 a.m.