WALNUT CREEK — Three-time defending conference regular-season champion Humboldt State has been selected as the preseason favorite to capture the 2010 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) softball crown and Cal State Monterey Bay has been tabbed to claim the conference tournament following a vote of league coaches, it was announced on Wednesday.
The Lumberjacks totaled 76 points and garnered five first-place votes to finish ahead of Cal State Monterey Bay in the balloting. The Otters collected 68 points and two first-place votes. San Francisco State (44) was third in the voting and was followed by UC San Diego (42), Cal State San Bernardino (41), Cal State Dominguez Hills (39), Sonoma State (38), Cal State Stanislaus (33), Chico State (16) and Cal State East Bay (9).
Cal State Monterey Bay, the defending CCAA Tournament champion, received four votes to repeat, while UC San Diego and Humboldt State received two votes, and San Francisco State and Cal State Stanislaus each garnered one vote apiece. The postseason tournament will be held May 6-8 at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton.
Humboldt State concluded the 2009 campaign with a 38-20 overall record that included a 23-9 mark in CCAA play. The Lumberjacks, along with Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State Stanislaus, advanced to the NCAA Division II Championship West Regional.
Cal State Monterey Bay compiled a 36-27-1 overall record and finished second in the CCAA after posting a 20-12 conference mark. The Otters captured the rain-shortened conference tournament after posting wins over Humboldt State and Sonoma State.
Cal State San Bernardino will be the first CCAA team to open its season when it hosts local rival Cal Baptist on Feb. 2. Nine CCAA teams will take part in the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational in Turlock beginning February 5. The first week of conference play is slated for Feb. 12.
California Collegiate Athletic Association 2010 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-Place Votes)
|
Points
|
2009 Record
|
| 1. Humboldt State (5) |
76 |
38-20, 23-9 |
| 2. Cal State Monterey Bay (2) |
68 |
36-27-1, 20-12 |
| 3. San Francisco State |
44 |
31-24, 13-19 |
| 4. UC San Diego (1) |
42 |
30-25, 17-14 |
| 5. Cal State San Bernardino |
41 |
21-31, 13-19 |
| 6. Cal State Dominguez Hills |
39 |
35-23, 17-15 |
7. Sonoma State
|
38 |
36-25, 17-14 |
| 8. Cal State Stanislaus (2) |
33 |
35-21, 17-15 |
| 9. Chico State |
16 |
19-36, 6-26 |
| 10. Cal State East Bay* |
9 |
13-25 |