DePaul University Athletics
Game Notes
2/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
Ranked 10th in the NFCA/USA Today Coaches preseason poll, it is the highest preseason ranking DePaul has ever received. The highest they have been ranked at any time was third in the final poll from 1999.
Rough Road Ahead
Nine of the team's first 15 scheduled games are aginst teams ranked or receiving votes in the NFCA Preseason poll. In that stretch they will play four teams ranked in the top ten overall and 22 of DePaul's 53 scheduled games are against schools ranked in the preseason. Below is a list of ranked schools on the Blue Demons schedule:
USA Today/NFCA
Preseason Poll
records through 2-15
School Rank Record UCLA 1 10-0 Arizona St. 6 7-1 California 7 2-0 Fresno St. 9 0-0 Michigan 11 0-0 Nebraska 12 2-2 Cal-St. Fullerton 14 5-3 Oregon St. 16 8-2 Notre Dame 19 0-0 Southern Miss 21 2-3 UIC 27 7-5 North Carolina 40 3-0 Northwestern 41 2-2 South Florida 43 3-7 Combined Record 51-25Top pick in C-USA
The coaches in Conference USA selected the Blue Demons as the preseason favorite to win the league. DePaul finished second to Southern Miss last year, the first for C-USA softball. Both teams had just one loss, to each other, but Southern Miss held the tiebreaker due to completeing more conference games. They were 16-1 to DePaul's14-1.
C-USA player of the year
Shavaughne Desecki was tabbed as the C-USA preseason "Player of the Year." Desecki led the team in batting last year with a .376 average, 11 2B and nine HR and was named first team all-conference and all-Midwest Region.
More C-USA honors
Lindsay Chouinard was chosen preseason "Pitcher of the Year." The sophomore was a third team All-American last year while leading the team in wins, strikeouts, ERA and saves. Chouinard was also named C-USA Freshman of the year and All-Midwest region.
Young All-Americans
DePaul has had a freshman All-American in each of the last two years. Shavaughne Desecki in 1999 and Lindsay Chouinard in 2000. Sarah Martz, who set the Illinois high school state records for career wins (103) and strikeouts (1,402), is the best candidate to continue that trend. Martz also batted .515 with 42 stolen bases as a high school senior. DePaul has had at least one All-American for the past seven years.
Young but experienced
The four seniors on this year’s team are the fewest DePaul has had in three years. They had just one in 1998. The Blue Demons return six starters to a squad that won 40 games for the sixth time in seven years. The team has averaged 45 wins a year for the past five seasons.
Seeing Double?
The Douglas sisters, Sarah and Christina, are identical twins. Christina emerged 19 minutes after Sarah much to the surprise of her parents and doctors, who had not anticipated twins.
Double Duty
Shavaughne Desecki just concluded her second season with the women's basketball team. She played in 12 games averaging 1.1 points and 0.8 rebounds per contest in limited action.
Roster Change
Junior pitcher Vanessa Saavedra (#24) is no longer with the team. She withdrew for personal reasons.
Series History
Below are the series histories with this weekend's opponents:
Western Illinois-- DePaul leads 24-7 and has won eight straight.
Northern Illinois--DePaul leads 19-12 with the schools splitting last year.
Missouri--Missouri leads 5-1. DePaul's only win came in the 1997 NCAA Regional.
