NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Fordham has been predicted to win its third straight Atlantic 10 Conference Softball Championship, according to the preseason poll conducted by the league’s 10 head coaches. The Rams were the unanimous selection for the top spot in the poll, which was released Friday by the A-10.

Fordham enters 2015 after posting a 36-20 record in 2014. The Rams, winners of three of the last four A-10 championships, will enter 2015 behind the arm of senior pitcher and First Team All-Conference selection Michele Daubman. Sophomores Amy Van Hoven and Sydney Canessa were also First Team selections a year ago and coach Bridget Orchard was the 2014 A-10 Coach of the Year.

Saint Louis was picked second in the poll, garnering 86 points. The Billikens are led by junior pitcher Brianna Lore and senior outfielder Lindsay Friedman, both of whom were 2014 First Team All-Conference selections. Saint Joseph’s was picked to finish third with 73 points.  The Hawks will be led by a pair of seniors Second Team All-Conference selections, first baseman Ashley Alden and outfielder Melissa Ruf.

Massachusetts took the fourth spot in the preseason poll with 70 points, followed by Dayton in fifth place with 61 points and George Washington in sixth with 51 points. George Mason was picked seventh and La Salle was chosen eighth. St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island rounded out the 2015 selections respectively.

The 2015 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship will be hosted by Massachusetts at Sortino Field, May 6-9 in Amherst, Mass.

2015 Softball Predicted Order of Finish

(Number of first place votes in parenthesis)

1.     Fordham (10) - 100
2.     Saint Louis - 86
3      Saint Joseph’s - 73
4.     Massachusetts - 70
5.     Dayton. - 61
6.     George Washington - 51
7.     George Mason - 39
8.     La Salle - 37
9.     St. Bonaventure - 17
10.  Rhode Island - 15