Posted: Jan 27, 2016

Huntingdon ranked seventh in USA South preseason softball poll

By Chuck Tidmore

Sports Information Assistant

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Huntingdon softball team enters its third year in the USA South Athletic Conference ranked seventh. The USA South preseason poll was released on Wednesday.

The Lady Hawks received 75 points in the poll. Defending regular season champion Averett received nine first-place votes and 139 points. Second-place William Peace received one first-place vote and 119 points. Rounding out the top three is defending USA South Tournament champion LaGrange with three first-place votes and 118 points.

Huntingdon went 20-18 last season and made the conference tournament.

In fourth place is Piedmont with 111 points, fifth is Ferrum with 103 points and in sixth is Greensboro with 78 points.

Behind the Lady Hawks in eighth place is N.C. Wesleyan with 69 points. In ninth is Meredith with 67 points, 10^th is Methodist with 54 points, 11^th is Maryville with 40 points, 12^th is Covenant with 29 points and in 13^th is Mary Baldwin with 12 points.

The Lady Hawks open their season on Feb. 13 in Atlanta in the 3n2 Elite Event hosted by Emory. Huntingdon plays Agnes Scott at 9 a.m. and Emory at 1 p.m.

USA South Softball Preseason Poll

1. Averett (9 first-place votes), 139 points

2. William Peace (1), 119 points

3. LaGrange (3), 118 points

4. Piedmont, 111 points

5. Ferrum, 103 points

6. Greensboro, 78 points

7. Huntingdon, 75 points

8. N.C. Wesleyan, 69 points

9. Meredith, 67 points

10. Methodist, 54 points

11. Maryville, 40 points