ELMS COLLEGE SELECTED THIRD IN NAC PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL

CHICOPEE, MA. Feb. 20, 2008 - The North Atlantic Conference recently released the preseason baseball poll and Elms College has been selected third.  Castleton, who claimed the NAC Championship last season, has been selected as the favorite to repeat.

Elms College's third place selection is determined by a poll of the league's coaches.  Elms College received 22 points in the poll, trailing only Husson (32) and Castleton (33).

Points are awarded in descending order with first place votes earning six points through sixth-place votes which are worth one point.

Elms College returns sixteen players from last year's squad that finished tied with Maine-Farmington for fourth place in the conference.

Among the returning Blazers are senior catcher Joe Sawa (Chicopee, MA) and senior first baseman Scott Netkovick (South Hadley, MA).  Last season both Sawa and Netkovick were honored as Second-Team All-NAC selections.

In 2007 Sawa recorded a .333 batting average and 23 hits, including five doubles and 11 RBI, while Netkovick led the team with a .378 batting average

Elms College begins play Monday, March 10 in a double-header against Newbury.  The double-header is part of the Disney Invitational and will be played in Orlando, FL.