BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team has been picked to finish in a tie for fourth place in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) standings as the 2025 MASCAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll was released today by conference director of media relations, Emily Loux.

The Bears received 27 points in the poll as did the Vikings of Salem State University. Westfield State University is the preseason favorite to win the MASCAC title as the defending regular season champion Owls received 48 points and six first-place votes. Three-time defending MASCAC Tournament champion Framingham State University placed second in the poll with 41 points and one first-place vote while Worcester State University finished third with 39 points.

Under the guidance of interim head coach and BSU Hall of Famer Angela Vecchione (5th Year, 1st as Head Coach), the Bridgewater State softball team will return to the diamond next month to open the 2025 campaign. Bridgewater finished the 2024 season in fifth place in the MASCAC standings with a 6-8 conference mark (19-20 overall).

Returning 2024 All-MASCAC selections Makayla Ansell (So., OF, Menifee, Calif.) and Victoria Becker (Jr., OF, Abington, Mass.) as well as 2023 all-conference honorees Amelia Blake (Sr., INF, Raynham, Mass.) and Janet Jolly (Gr., OF, Raynham, Mass.) will help lead the Bears in 2025.

Jolly is joined by Emily Eastman (Jr., C, Cranston, R.I.) and Sydney Schaefer (So., INF, Swarthmore, Pa.) as the BSU captains.

The Bears will open the season on Sunday, March 9th (9:00 AM) when they take on Delaware Valley University 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 Tuesday, March 18th, a doubleheader starting at 3:00 PM against UMass Dartmouth. The MASCAC schedule gets underway on Satuday, March 29th as the Bears travel to Framingham State for a one o'clock twinbill with the three-time defending MASCAC Tournament champion Rams.