SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Curry College softball team has been selected eighth out of 10 teams in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Curry's squad returns 12 student-athletes and welcomes in six freshmen for the 2017 campaign. This year's Colonels are bolstered by three student-athletes who were named to the All-CCC teams in 2016. Marissa Bruno (Milford, Conn.) and Mikayla Korona (Bellingham, Mass.) were named to the Second Team. Bruno and Korona will serve as the captains for this season.

Additionally, Curry will return All-CCC Third Team Selection Mikayla Lambert (Blackstone, Mass.). Lambert finished 2016 with a .341 batting average while posting 43 hits, including a team high 13 doubles. She also posted four wins in the circle, tossing five complete games.

Western New England received 92 points, including six first place votes, to secure the top spot in the poll.  Endicott placed second, tallying 88 points and three first place votes. Landing in the third spot was 2016 CCC Tournament Champions Salve Regina. The Seahawks grabbed 83 points and two first place votes. The final first place tally went to the University of New England, who took the fourth spot with 75 points. Roger Williams tabbed 61 points to close out the top half of the poll.

Eastern Nazarene (41), Nichols (39), Curry (32), Gordon (28) and Wentworth (11) close out the poll in that order.

Curry opens the 2017 season with a trip to Fort Myers, Fla. to participate in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. The Colonels first game is scheduled for March 12 against the College at Brockport and UMass.-Dartmouth at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., respectively.

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