DAHLONEGA -- North Georgia College & State University was picked to finish second in the preseason coaches poll released this week by the Peach Belt Conference office, while sophomore's Leslee Smith and Jessica Skeels were named to the first ever Preseason All Conference team. This marks the highest preseason ranking for any North Georgia team since entering the NCAA ranks.
The Columbus State Lady Cougars have been selected as the Peach Belt Conference softball favorite in 2008 according to a poll of the league's head coaches released on Friday. CSU received six of a possible nine first-place votes in the poll and finished with 73 points, six ahead of second-place North Georgia. GCSU was selected third and Augusta State came in fourth. Armstrong Atlantic State,
Francis Marion, USC Aiken, UNC Pembroke, Lander and Georgia Southwestern rounded out the voting.
Mike Davenport enters his eighth season has head coach with one of his most talented recruiting classes in recent history. This season will mark the first year the Saints program will be eligible to compete in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, and the NCAA Division II Softball Championships.
Last year, North Georgia finished fourth in the Peach Belt Conference, finishing the season with an overall record of 36-19 and a conference mark of 12-8. The 2008 Saints return just eight players from a year ago, but welcome 12 new players to the program.
The pitching staff will be young but talented as a new group of girls look to make their mark on the always-tough Peach Belt conference. Krista Bess, the lone senior on the squad, will anchor the outfield in center, with preseason all conference selection Jessica Skeels in left, and junior Meigan Grimm in right. The Saints will kickoff the 2008 campaign on February 8, at the UWA Invitational against West Alabama.
Thursday
October 24th, 2024
2:18AM
