Babson Voted First in NEWMAC Softball Preseason Poll

[jonriv]

Highlights vs MIT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKiEzJjcQ-4

[jonriv]

BOSTON, Mass. – The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) announced the seeds for the upcoming softball championship on Monday, following the conclusion of the regular season. Wellesley College (15-3) picked up four straight wins over the final weekend of the season to clinch the tournament's top seed and the right to host throughout the championship. Wheaton College (13-5) will be seeded second and will also host a pair of games on Friday, April 25.

WPI (12-6) earned the third seed thanks to a win in its season finale on Monday. Springfield College (11-7) will be seeded fourth. Fifth-seeded Babson College (9-9) will open tournament play on Friday afternoon at Wellesley. Smith College (8-10) is making its first NEWMAC tournament appearance since 2008 and is seeded sixth.

Both Wellesley and Wheaton will host Day One games on Friday afternoon, with all the action shifting to Wellesley for Day Two on Saturday, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The highest remaining seed will host the championship the following Saturday, May 3.

2014 NEWMAC Softball Championship

Day One: Friday, April 25 at #1 and #2 seeds:
Game 1 - #5 Babson (9-9) vs. #4 Springfield (11-7) - 2:30 p.m. (at Wellesley)
Game 2 - #6 Smith (8-10) vs. #3 WPI (12-6) - 2:30 p.m. (at Wheaton)
Game 3 - Winner of Game #1 at #1 Wellesley (15-3) - 4:30 p.m.
Game 4 - Winner of Game #2 at #2 Wheaton (13-5) - 4:30 p.m.

Day Two: Saturday, April 26 at Wellesley:
Game 5 - Loser of Game #1 vs. Loser of Game #4 - 10:00 a.m.
Game 6 - Loser of Game #2 vs. Loser of Game #3 - 12:00 p.m.
Game 7 - Winner of Game #3 vs. Winner of Game #4 - 2:00 p.m.
Game 8 - Winner of Game #5 vs. Winner of Game #6 - 4:00 p.m.

Day Three: Saturday, May 3 at highest remaining seed:
Game 9 - Winner of Game #8 vs. Loser of Game #7 - 10:00 a.m.
Game 10 - Winner of Game #9 vs. Winner of Game #7 - 12:00 p.m.
Game 11 - Winner of Game #10 vs. Loser of Game #10 (if necessary) - 2:00 p.m.

[jonriv]

Only three left in the NEWMAC championship- finals to be played this Saturday

Wheaton and (Cinderella) Smith ply for the honor of then having to beat Wellesley twice for the championship

First time in a long time no Coast Guard, Springfield, or Babson

[PDad]

BOSTON, Mass. – Babson College received seven first-place votes to earn the top spot in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) softball preseason poll, as announced by the league on Monday. Coast Guard Academy, Springfield College and Wheaton College also received first-place votes from the coaches.
...
NEWMAC Softball Preseason Poll

Rank Institution (First place votes)
1. Babson (7)
2. Springfield (1)
3. Wheaton (1)
4. Coast Guard (1)
5. Wellesley
6. MIT
7. WPI
8. Emerson
9. Clark
10. Smith

Final standings:

School . . . . Conf . . All
Wellesley . . . 15-3-0 . 26-9-0
Wheaton . . . .13-5-0 . 30-9-0
WPI .. . . . . . . 12-6-0 . 27-11-0
Springfield . . 11-7-0 . 20-12-1
Babson . . . . . 9-9-0 . 17-20-0
Smith . . . . . . 8-10-0 . 18-12-0
Coast Guard . 7-11-0 . 14-20-0
MIT . . . . . . . . 7-11-0 . 10-21-0
Clark . . . . . . . 6-12-0 . 12-20-0
Emerson . . . . 2-16-0 . 13-23-0

Just another example that preseason polls are generally garbage...

[jonriv]

Really tough in college. Never know who the surprise freshman or blossoming former bench warmer. In the case of smith, they shored up their defense and one of their pitchers really lifted their game

[PDad]

Unless there is a team that everyone knows is head and shoulders better than everyone else, it's really tough - period. Anyone that thinks they are meaningful is a fool. They only serve as a discussion topic until the teams have played a significant number of games that count.

[fastpitchdad05]

BOSTON, Mass. – Babson College received seven first-place votes to earn the top spot in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) softball preseason poll, as announced by the league on Monday. Coast Guard Academy, Springfield College and Wheaton College also received first-place votes from the coaches.
...
NEWMAC Softball Preseason Poll

Rank Institution (First place votes)
1. Babson (7)
2. Springfield (1)
3. Wheaton (1)
4. Coast Guard (1)
5. Wellesley
6. MIT
7. WPI
8. Emerson
9. Clark
10. Smith

Final standings:

School . . . . Conf . . All
Wellesley . . . 15-3-0 . 26-9-0
Wheaton . . . .13-5-0 . 30-9-0
WPI .. . . . . . . 12-6-0 . 27-11-0
Springfield . . 11-7-0 . 20-12-1
Babson . . . . . 9-9-0 . 17-20-0
Smith . . . . . . 8-10-0 . 18-12-0
Coast Guard . 7-11-0 . 14-20-0
MIT . . . . . . . . 7-11-0 . 10-21-0
Clark . . . . . . . 6-12-0 . 12-20-0
Emerson . . . . 2-16-0 . 13-23-0

Just another example that preseason polls are generally garbage...

What? They got Clark right on the money!

[jonriv]

I think being at the top of pre-season pole can be more harmful than good. Extra pressure, target, other teams want to beat a ranked team etc....

The only pole that really counts is the one at the end of the season

[PDad]

I think being at the top of pre-season pole can be more harmful than good. Extra pressure, target, other teams want to beat a ranked team etc....

The only pole that really counts is the one at the end of the season

Go for it! I have no desire to be at the top of a pole at any time...

[jonriv]

Damn this iphone. Poles again!