BOSTON – After claiming the program’s first championship since 2018, UAlbany has been picked first in the America East Softball Preseason Poll while the conference also released its inaugural #AESB Preseason All-Conference Team.
The Great Danes earned three first place votes and 23 total points to take the top spot in the poll. Co-regular season champion Binghamton was second with two first place votes and 22 total points. Bryant earned the third spot with 14 points while UMass Lowell and UMBC tied for fourth with 13 points apiece. UMass Lowell did earn one first place vote.
UAlbany had a pair of returners earn preseason all-conference honors, in Mary Kate Murray at first base and Kate Powers in the circle. Binghamton and UMBC each had a league-best five selections. Binghamton was led by returning first-team honorees Brianna Roberts and Lindsey Walter while Ella Squaires earned First-Team honors for the Retrievers last year. Rookie of the Year Makenna Coleman and Sam Rohwer were named after securing first-team honors last season.
Softball Preseason Poll
| Pl. |
School |
Pts. (1st) |
| 1. |
UAlbany |
23 (3) |
| 2. |
Binghamton |
22 (2) |
| 3. |
Bryant |
14 |
| T4. |
UMass Lowell |
13 (1) |
| T4. |
UMBC |
13 |
| 6. |
Maine |
5 |
Softball Preseason All-Conference
| C |
Elisa Allen (Binghamton) |
| 1B |
Mary Kate Murray (UAlbany) |
| 2B |
Emily Riggs (UMBC) |
| SS |
Amaya Carroll (UMBC) |
| SS |
Sam Rohwer (Bryant) |
| 3B |
Amya Lundy (UMBC) |
| OF |
Makenna Coleman (Bryant) |
| OF |
Brianna Santos (Binghamton) |
| OF |
Ella Squaires (UMBC) |
| DP |
Emma Lawson (Binghamton) |
| UTIL |
Lindsey Walter (Binghamton) |
| P |
Kya Matter (UMBC) |
| P |
Kate Powers (UAlbany) |
| P |
Brianna Roberts (Binghamton) |
The 2025 season begins on Friday, February 7 with three teams in action. Bryant competes in the Bearkat Classic in Texas while UMass Lowell plays two in San Antonio. Binghamton plays a pair a pair as well. All three play on Saturday as well. UMBC, Maine begin the following weekend, with UAlbany taking to the field on Feb. 21.
Fans will once again be able to watch nearly every #AESB contest this season. Select games will air on The AE on ESPN while others will air on AmericaEast.TV. Those games will be available on computers, OTT devices and the America East app, which is available on all IOS and Android devices and can be found by searching ‘America East Conference’ in app stores.
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -