ELMS COLLEGE FAVORED TO WIN NAC SOFTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

CHICOPEE, MA. Feb. 20, 2008 - The North Atlantic Conference recently released the preseason softball poll and Elms College has been selected as the favorite to win conference championship.

Elms College's first place selection is determined by a poll of the league's coaches.  The Blazers, who enter this season as two-time defending NAC champions received 115 points in the poll including nine first place selections.

Points are awarded in descending order with first place votes earning 11 points through eleventh-place votes which are worth one point.

Elms College returns eleven players from last year's squad which finished strong by winning 11 of the final 12 games en route to a second straight NAC Championship and NCAA Division III Championship birth.

Among the returning players are senior first baseman Christina Giampetruzzi (Westfield MA).  Last season Giampetruzzi was named First-Team All-NAC as she led the Blazers with a .430 batting average.

Another key returning player is senior pitcher Tammie Tremblay (Springfield, MA).  In 2007 Tremblay received Second-Team All-NAC honors and also was named the NAC Championship Most Valuable Player.  In 21 appearances last season Tremblay held a 2.72 earned run average and finished the season 11-6.

Sophomore catcher Kim Lastowski (Turner Falls, MA) will be calling the signals again for the Blazers.  During her first season competing in the NAC last year Lastowski was named Honorable-Mention All-NAC after committing just one error in 28 starts.

Elms College begins play Saturday, March 8 against Olivet.  The match-up with Olivet is part of the Gene Cusic Classic and will be played in Fort Myers, FL.