BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team has been picked to finish in third place in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) standings as the 2024 MASCAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll was released today by conference director of media relations, Emily Loux.

The Bears received 40 points in the poll and picked up four of the eight first-place votes. Framongham State University is the preseason favorite to win the MASCAC title as the defending champion Rams received 44 points and three first-place votes. Worcester State University placed second in the poll with 41 points and one first-place vote.

The Bridgewater State softball team will return to the diamond next month to open the 2024 campaign. Bridgewater finished the 2023 season tied for second place in the MASCAC standings with a 9-5 conference mark (15-28-1 overall).

Madelyn Klingel (Sr., RHP, Windsor, Conn.), McKayla Cusack (Jr., RHP, West Haven, Conn.) and Tatiana Burcy (So., RHP, Hyde Park, Mass.) return to help anchor the pitching staff in 2024.

Veteran field position returnees include Janet Jolly (Sr., OF, Raynham, Mass.), Kailey Collins-Fiore (Jr., 2B, LaGrange, N.Y.), Riley Fitzgerald (Jr., INF, Swansea, Mass.), Emily Marcotte (Jr., UTL, North Dighton, Mass.), Victoria Becker (So., OF, Abington, Mass.), Emily Eastman (So., C, Cranston, R.I.) and Katie Tobin (So., 1B/3B, Chestnut Hill, Mass.).

Jolly garnered All-MASCAC Second Team honors in 2023.

Newcomers to the squad are Makayla Ansell (Fr., OF, Menifee, Calif.), Savanah Dubois (Fr., OF, New Bedford, Mass.), Lily Gagnon (Fr., P/UTL, East Haven, Conn.), Lily Gioiosa (Fr., INF, Dartmouth, Mass.), Olivia Hargreaves (Fr., P/1B, Weare, N.H.), Haleigh Harris (Fr., C/1B, Byfield, Mass.), Angelina Lynch (So., OF/SS, Taunton, Mass.), Olyvia Mendonca (So., P/UTL, Taunton, Mass.), Kayliz Ortega (Fr., OF, North Andover, Mass.), Kyleah Plumb (Fr., OF, Taunton, Mass.), Sydney Schaefer (Fr., INF, Swarthmore, Pa.) and Sidney Schwartz (Fr., C, Chelmsford, Mass.).

The Bears will open the season on Sunday, March 3rd (9:00 AM) when they take on Penn State-Harrisburg at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Bridgewater will play ten games during the spring break trip before returning North. The Bears' home opener is on Saturday, March 16th, a doubleheader starting at 12:30 PM against Norwich University. The MASCAC schedule gets underway on Friday, March 29th as the Bears welcome Framingham State to Alumni Park for a three o'clock twinbill.