Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Slated Second in Eastern Division of MAC Preseason Poll
February 06, 2007 | Softball
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Feb. 6, 2007
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The softball Falcons, led by first-year head coach Shannon Salsburg, have been selected to finish second in the Mid-American Conference Eastern Division according to the 2006-07 preseason coaches poll released by the conference office today.
The head coaches picked Western Michigan as their preseason favorite to win the Western Division and the post-season tournament crowns. Kent State finished above Bowling Green to earn to the first place nod in the East. According to the voting, WMU edged Kent State in a slim five-to-four voting margin while Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan each received one first place vote.
In the East, Akron and Ohio are expected to follow BGSU and Kent State in third and fourth, respectively. Miami and Buffalo rounded out the divisional rankings.
In the opposing division, directional Michigan leads the West as Western, Central and Eastern are ranked first through third, respectively. Northern Illinois, Ball State and geographic rival Toledo followed suit at the four through six positions.
Bowling Green State University returns five starters from last year's 16-6 MAC squad, which posted a record-tying 37 victories (37-23) in 2006. Captains Hayley Wiemer, Jeanine Baca and Ashley Zirkle will combine with veterans Dawnjene DeLong, Emily Gouge, Lauren Hoffman, Emmy Ramsey, and Allison Vallas to lead the Falcon charge. Weimer was tabbed the conference Freshman of the Year in 2006 and a first-team all conference selection. Vallas also earned conference honors as she was named to the Academic All-MAC team in her first year of eligibility.
Newcomers Kylie Baier, Jessica Barisono, Jocelyn Gray, Brittany Hay, Sharon Palma, Carly Riepenhoff, Susan Sontag and the Falcon squad have just sixteen days until they open the 2007 season in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the Panera Challenge. The Orange and Brown are the defending champions of the tournament which is hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
The battle for the MAC East will open the Falcons conference season when the KSU Golden Flashes invade the Bowling Green Softball Field March 28 in double header action.
2007 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
East Division
1. Kent State
2. Bowling Green
3. Akron
4. Ohio
5. Miami
6. Buffalo
West Division
1. Western Michigan
2. Central Michigan
3. Eastern Michigan
4. Northern Illinois
5. Ball State
6. Toledo
Tournament Winner:
Western Michigan (5)
Other Nominees:
Kent State (4), Northern Illinois (1), Eastern Michigan (1)
