Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked to Finish Second In the MAC East
February 11, 2008 | Softball
Feb. 11, 2008
CLEVELAND, Ohio -
Complete MAC Release in PDF Format
The Falcons, led by head Coach Shannon Salsburg were selected to finish second in the Mid-American Conference East division according to the 2008 coaches preseason poll released by the conference office late Sunday (Feb. 10).
The Falcons were picked to finish behind the 2007 MAC East division champions Kent State, who were also picked to capture the MAC tournament title. Miami was chosen third in the East division with Ohio, Akron and Buffalo rounding out the East division at fourth, fifth and sixth.
Central Michigan was selected to finish first in the MAC West division followed by the 2007 MAC Tournament champions Eastern Michigan. Western Michigan was picked to finish third in the West division with Ball State, Northern Illinois and Toledo chosen to finish fourth, fifth and sixth.
Salsburg and the Falcons return eight letter winners, including four All-MAC selections from the 2007 BGSU softball team, which posted a 33-12 record last season, the highest winning percentage in BG softball history. Captains Dawnjene DeLong, Allison Vallas, and Hayley Wiemer along with veterans Emily Gouge, Brittnay Hay, Jessica Barisono, Carly Riepenhoff, and Susan Sontag will lead the Falcons this season. Vallas and Wiemer were both named first team All-MAC and to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District team. Wiemer also was also named to the NFCA Louisville Slugger Great Lakes All-Region Team. DeLong and Gouge picked up second team All-MAC honors last season as well.
The eight newcomers Lindsay Arney, Haleigh Bielstein, Katelynn Boso, Melissa Bott, Melissa Bowman, Rachel Delp, Zada Lines and Lauren Rockich will bring depth to Falcons in many aspects on the field. The Falcons only have 11 days until opening day for the 2008 season, when the Orange and Brown will travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee as the two-time defending champions of the Chattanooga Classic hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
2008 MAC Preseason Poll
East Division
1. Kent State
2. Bowling Green
3. Miami
4. Ohio
5. Akron
6. Buffalo
West Division
1. Central Michigan
2. Eastern Michigan
3. Western Michigan
4. Ball State
5. Northern Illinois
6. Toledo
Tournament Winner: Kent State
