NEW HAVEN, Conn.- The Caldwell University softball team was picked to finish in second place in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Preseason Coaches poll as released today by the conference office. The Cougars finished tied for second place in the CACC last season with a 39-17 overall record.
 
Wilmington University took the top spot in the poll with 149 points, earning six first-place votes. The Cougars came in second with 140 points and two first place votes, while Georgian Court University place third wit 134 points and two first place votes.
 
New conference school University of Bridgeport took fourth place with 132 points and two first place votes, while Post University rounded out the top-five with 94 points. Thomas Jefferson University took sixth place with 90 points with Bloomfield College (89 points) and Holy Family University (88; one first place vote) wrapped up the top-eight in the conference.
 
The Cougars finished their 2022 season with a 39-17 overall record and were tied for second place in the CACC with a 19-5 conference record. Caldwell reached the semifinals of the CACC Championship and secured an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. As the #4 seed in the East Region 1, the Cougars won their first two games to reach the East 1 finals before falling to top seed Adelphi University.
 
Caldwell returns all nine of its all-conference players from last season, highlighted by reigning CACC Rookie of the Year and First Team selection sophomore outfielder Jessica Klein (Trevose, Pa.). She also earned National Fastpitch Coach Association and Division II Conference Commissioner's Association East Region First Team, while being selected as an NFCA Third Team All-American. Klein batted .438 with 44 runs scored, 63 hits, seven doubles, 20 RBI and 25 stolen bases. Senior outfielder Emma Cooney (Livingston, N.J.) earned CACC First Team and NFCA Second Team All-Region honors after batting .394 with 38 runs scored, 52 hits, seven doubles, four homeruns, 29 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
 
Also returning for the Cougars is CACC First Team selection and NFCA and D2CCA Second Team All-Region pick senior third base Courtney Grundhauser (Easton, Pa.). She posted a .354 batting average with 41 runs scored, 59 hits, 12 doubles, 10 homeruns, 47 RBI and 15 stolen bases. Sophomore designated player Allison Winters (Blairstown, N.J.) earned CACC First Team honors and D2CCA First Team All-Region recognition. She batted .355 with 26 runs scored, 49 hits, 13 doubles, four homeruns and 31 RBI.
 
Two additional CACC First Team All-Conference picks also return in 2023 in senior second base Taylor Mischler (Endicott, N.Y.) and senior pitcher Mariah Culver (Owego, N.Y.). Mischler batted .321 with 35 runs scored, 52 hits, 15 doubles, two triples, two homeruns and 25 RBI. Culver led the pitching staff with 104 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched, finishing the season with an 18-9 record with 15 complete games and a 2.60 ERA.
 
A trio of CACC Second Team selections are also back in the mix for this coming season in senior first base Maya Rodriguez (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), graduate pitcher Kayla Daly (Babylon, N.Y.) and sophomore short shop Ashleigh Tavaska (Jackson, N.J.) Rodriguez batted .384 with 66 hits, three doubles, two triples, three homeruns and 39 RBI. Daly posted an 18-5 record and one save in the circle with 2.18 ERA over 138 1/3 innings pitched. She recorded 10 complete games with 85 strikeouts. Tavaska finished with a .335 batting average with 42 runs scored, 62 hits, nine doubles, two triples, five homeruns, 32 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
 
The Cougars are under the leadership of Head Coach Dean Johnson, who enters his 29th season as Caldwell's head coach. He ranks in the top-15 among active winningest coaches in Division II. Johnson enters the 2023 season with a career coaching record of 889-413-4.
 
2023 CACC SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Wilmington University 149 (6)
2. Caldwell University 140 (2)
3. Georgian Court University 134 (2)
4. University of Bridgeport 132 (2)
5. Post University 94
6. Thomas Jefferson University 90
7. Bloomfield College 89
8. Holy Family University 88 (1)
9. Dominican University 78
10. Felician University 65
11. Goldey-Beacom College 48
12. Alliance University 35
13. Chestnut Hill College 28
 
() - First-Place Votes