The 2007 Virginia softball team hopes to improve on 2006's 29-26 overall record and 7-13 ACC record. Players will have to move forward with the thought of a seventh place prediction in the back of their minds.
The predictions for the ACC softball season came out recently, and the Cavaliers were picked to finish seventh in the preseason coach's poll. At first glance, seventh place doesn't seem so bad with 12 teams in the ACC. The problem is there aren't 12 teams in the ACC for softball.
Only eight ACC schools field softball squads so the prediction is not as favorable when it is placed in the frame of mind that seventh is second to last in the conference. (Clemson, Duke, Miami and Wake Forest don't field teams.)
The players say early season predictions will not predict how well they play.
"It doesn't lessen our team morale at all," senior catcher Michelle Salmiery said. "We have to show people that we deserve to be in the top of our conference."
Some players said they think the prediction is ridiculous.
"I don't think that's possible," junior outfielder Whitney Holstun said. "I see us in the top of our conference and possibly into regionals and after that. [The low ranking] causes us to work harder because we have something to prove."
Sometimes low-ranked teams have the unique opportunity to play under less scrutiny.
"I suppose the low ranking allows us to play under less pressure," Salmiery said. "There are pressure situations but the low ranking doesn't matter. You come to play every day at your best."
Even though others' expectations for the team's season might not be high, the players' own expectations are.
"Nobody expects anything out of us," senior second baseman Elea Crockett said. "We have high expectations and standards this year. We're not letting polls affect our morale."
Virginia coach Karen Johns is the one in charge of guiding the Cavaliers to a high ACC finish. Johns is now in her second year as the head coach and gets to work with her first recruiting class.
"It's not going to be that much different than last year," Johns said. "It'll be easier because the players will know what to expect in practice. The recruiting class is adding a tremendous amount of power to our offense. Abby Snyder will add lots of leadership."
One obstacle more real than the prediction is that the Cavaliers do not have any home games at the beginning of the year. In fact, they will not have one until March 24.
"Last year, we had lots of away games, so we are used to it," Holstun said. "Everyone played travel softball in high school, so we are used to not playing on a home field often. Any field we play on, we just pull together and play our own game -- doesn't matter where we play."
The recent freezing temperatures have kept the team off its own field, further making the lack of home-field advantage a non-issue.
"We're a little displaced because we haven't been able to play on our field," Crockett said. "We always have fun on road trips"
Read More
Malik Washington selected 184th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins
By Xander Tilock | 10 hours agoWashington may have fallen down the draft board, but he will surely make a significant impact at the professional level.
At Virginia wushu, everybody is ‘Kung Fu Fighting’
By Xander Tilock | 11 hours agoA national powerhouse, Virginia wushu is both a top tier athletic club and a welcoming community.
Five Takeaways from Virginia’s Spring Game
By Peter Kriebel | YesterdayVirginia football is shaping up to make significant progress in 2024, led by an array of newcomers and promising underclassmen.
