Marist Chosen to Repeat as MAAC Softball Champions in Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Photo courtesy Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

The following release information was issued by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and information and photo courtesy of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference…

EDISON, N.J. – Defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) softball champion, Marist College, has been selected as the favorites in 2024 MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, while the Red Foxes standout, Maddie Pleasants was named MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.

Marist earned 118 points in the poll, garnering eight out of the 11 possible first-place votes to lead all MAAC teams. The Red Foxes went 29-28 overall and 12-8 in MAAC contests last season. In postseason play, the team clinched their program’s fourth MAAC title, following a perfect 4-0 tournament that included a 6-2 victory over top-seeded Canisius in the final. Marist’s previous championships came in 2006, 2013, and 2016. The Red Foxes will look to become the first unit to win back-to-back softball league crowns since former MAAC member Monmouth won two straight in 2018 and 2019.

The 2023 MAAC runner-up and regular season champion, Canisius University, was picked second in the poll, collecting 100 points and the final three first-place votes. The most dominate program in MAAC history, the Golden Griffins have claimed a league-leading 13 MAAC Championships and 16 regular season championships. Fairfield University (86), Mount St. Mary’s University (84), and Siena College (76), rounded out the poll’s top five.

Pleasants claims preseason player of the year honors and a spot on the Preseason All-MAAC Team at the infield position. A junior utility, who played the infield and pitched for Marist, was named the 2023 MAAC Player of the Year following a sophomore campaign in which she posted a .340 batting average, with nine home runs, 45 RBIs, 19 runs scored, 11 doubles, and 32 walks. Pleasants recorded a .450 on-base percentage and .574 slugging percentage for a 1.024 OPS. Among the MAAC leaders, she ranked second in home runs and RBIs, fourth in OPS and on-base percentage, and sixth in slugging percentage. On the mound, she made 16 appearances, with seven starts, going 2-9 with a 5.28 ERA and 2.21 WHIP in 54.1 innings with 36 strikeouts and two complete games. Pleasants was also named to the All-MAAC First Team, MAAC All-Championship Team, and Second Team NFCA All-Region in 2023 and was chosen as the MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year 2022.

The remainder of the Preseason All-MAAC Team and full Preseason Coaches’ Poll can be found below.

The 2024 MAAC Softball Championship will take place May 8-11, 2024. The six-team, double-elimination championship will be hosted by the highest seed. For all information regarding the 2024 MAAC Softball Championship, please visit http://maacsports.com/softball.

About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.

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