Central Islip, N.Y. - The Dowling College Golden Lions have been selected to reclaim the ECC Softball title in 2011 as they amassed 60 points and four first place votes. Molloy was selected to the second place spot and C.W. Post was selected third in the poll.

The Golden Lions finished the 2010 season with an overall record of 44-17 and a 23-5 record in the East Coast Conference along with the 2010 ECC Championship Title. The 44 wins marked a single season program record. Dowling, who loses only two seniors off of last year’s squad, advanced to the NCAA East Regional where they eventually fell to ECC foe Molloy.  In 2011, the Golden Lions have been ranked 24th in Division II in the NFCA Preseason Polls.

Joining Dowling in the NFCA Preseason Poll at No. 12 are the Molloy College Lions. Molloy, the defending NCAA East Region champions, are fresh off a record breaking season of their own. In 2010, the Lions took home a program record 43 wins and their first ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Softball Championships. Molloy grabbed the final four first place votes in the preseason poll to finish one point behind Dowling with 59.

C.W. Post, who also appeared in last year’s NCAA Tournament, rounds out the top three of the preseason poll.

Molloy junior Carla Campagna has been tabbed as the 2011 Preseason Player of the Year.  Campagna had a breakout season as a sophomore, being named a NFCA and Daktronics All-Region Second Team Selection. She was also an ECC All-Conference First Team Selection.  In 2010, Campagna compiled a .365 batting average, ripped 76 hits, scored 34 runs, and had 63 RBI’s, 15 doubles and 15 homeruns.  She amassed a .654 slugging percentage and a .432 on base percentage.  

Junior Jessie Stavola of Dowling has been selected as the 2011 Preseason Pitcher of the Year.  In 2010, Stavola made 30 appearances and totaled 175.1 innings pitched for an overall record of 19-6.  She boasted an ECC leading 1.12 ERA while compiling 308 strikeouts. She also led all of Division II in hits allowed per seven innings (2.99) and strikeouts per seven innings (12.3). For her outstanding performance, Stavola was named to the 2010 NFCA and Daktronics All-East Region First Team, the ECC All-Conference First Team and was tabbed the ECC and ECAC Pitcher of the Year.  

2011 East Coast Conference Pre-Season Poll

( ) - First Place Votes

Preseason Player of the Year: Carla Campagna, Jr., 1B, Molloy
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Jessie Stavola, Jr., Dowling