Reigning BIG EAST Tournament Champion DePaul Picked to Finish First in Preseason Coaches' Poll
1/13/2020 11:01:00 AM | SOFTBALL
Blue Demons look to recapture the BIG EAST regular season title
CHICAGO, Ill. - The DePaul softball team was picked to finish first in the BIG EAST conference for the 2020 season as announced this week in the annual preseason coaches' poll.
Coaches from the conference ranked the eight league teams and were not allowed to vote for their own programs.Â
The Blue Demons return seven players that were a part of all three-consecutive BIG EAST Tournament champion teams from 2017, 2018 and 2019 in Madison Fisher, Cara Jimenez, Krista Dalgarn, Erin Andris, Jessica Cothern, Angela Scalzitti and Skylor Hilger.Â
Head coach Tracie Adix-Zins, a former All-American pitcher for DePaul, enters her second season at the helm of the program after leading the team to its third-consecutive BIG EAST Tournament title.Â
In last season's poll, DePaul was picked to finish fourth but ended up landing second in regular season play. 2019 regular season titleholder St. John's was picked to finish third this season.
The 2020 slate opens up for DePaul at the UNI-Dome Classic in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The squad faces South Dakota State, South Dakota, Drake and Northern Iowa starting Feb. 7.
BIG EAST play for the Blue Demons begins March 20 at home in a series against Butler.Â
2020 BIG EAST Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Â Â DePaul (6)Â Â Â Â 48Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
2. Â Â Villanova (2)Â Â Â 43Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
3.   St. John's     34
4.   Creighton     30
5.   Seton Hall    25
6.   Providence    22
7.   Butler        14
8.   Georgetown   8
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