Brooklyn, N.Y. – In a poll of the league’s coaches, the Long Island University softball team was tabbed to win the Northeast Conference in the 2010 NEC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Blackbirds garnered nine of the 11 first place votes as Sacred Heart tallied the other two votes. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Long Island returns six of its starters from a year ago including two former All-Americans. Junior shortstop
Bianca Mejia was named Easton Second Team All-American and NFCA Third Team All-American in 2009 after batting .404 and raking 14 homers to break Long Island’s single-season record. Senior
Blaire Porter was named Easton Second Team All-American in 2008 and is the reigning two-time NEC Pitcher of the Year.
The Blackbirds lineup is littered with All-NEC performers including catcher
Mariesha Marker. The Keizer, Ore., native has 38 career stolen bases, good for eighth in LIU history. Sophomore
Sterling Hohambatted .300 last season while playing multiple positions, earning her All-NEC first Team honors at the utility spot. Senior
Brynn Lewis was an All-NEC Second Team performer at second base while junior
Amanda MacIntosh received the same honor at the third base position.
The Blackbirds open the 2010 slate in Clearwater, Fla., at the USF-DeMarini Tournament. LIU will face NCAA Super Regional participant Georgia Tech on Feb. 12 at 1:30 p.m. before battling national runner-up Florida at 6:00 p.m. later that night. Both teams were ousted by eventual national champion Washington in the NCAA tournament. The Blackbirds will finish off the DeMarini schedule against Illinois State, Florida Gulf Coast and East Carolina. LIU opens its home slate on March 27 with a doubleheader against defending NEC champion Sacred Heart