Softball Tabbed Favorites in NEC Preseason Coaches Poll
Central Connecticut was tipped as the favorite in the 2025 Northeast Conference Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll it was announced on Friday. CCSU collected four first-place votes from the league's head coaches who were not permitted to vote for their own squad.
The Blue Devils are slated to open the 2025 season at home against Saint Peter's on Saturday, February 8.
Head coach Breanne Gleason returns for her 12th season at the helm of the CCSU program. She has led the Blue Devils to a pair of NEC tournament titles, most recently in 2015.
The Blue Devils will return a pair of 2024 All-Northeast Conference honorees. Kassandra (KC) Machado led the team with a slugging percentage of .688, hitting 13 doubles and nine home runs. She led the NEC in slugging percentage,and also ranked second in home runs, OPS (1.080), and doubles. Additionally, she finished fifth on the circuit with 32 RBIs. Liz Hamilton was named NEC Rookie of the Year and snagged NEC All-Rookie Team honors, after notching 10 wins with a 2.90 ERA, ranking ninth in the NEC. Opponents hit just .248 against the Ohio native who also led the team in shutouts (five).
The Blue Devils were followed by LIU, which got two first-place voted. Defending NEC champion Saint Francis U. collected two first place votes and was picked third, while FDU rounded out the top-four in the poll. The 2025 NEC Softball Championship will be held from May 8-10 and hosted by the high seed. The field will include the league's top-four regular season finishers and feature a double-elimination format.
PRESEASON POLL RESULTS
(first-place votes)
1. CCSU (4)
2. LIU (2)
3. Saint Francis U (2)
4. FDU
5. Le Moyne
6. Stonehill
7. Wagner
8. Mercyhurst
