LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (Jan. 25) – The California (PA) softball team was chosen third in the preseason Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West poll, which was announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon.

The Vulcans finished last year with a 22-13 overall record and tied for first in the PSAC West standings with a 12-4 mark in divisional play. Cal was featured as high as fifth in the NCAA Atlantic regional rankings twice before losing five of its last seven games, including back-to-back, one-run losses in the PSAC Tournament. The Vulcans return seven regulars in the lineup, including the 2022 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Freshman of the Year, plus feature a whopping 13 newcomers with five possibly seeing time in the circle.

Mercyhurst was selected the preseason favorite in the PSAC West with four first-place votes. The Lakers advanced to the 2022 PSAC Championship for the first time in program history and made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Seton Hill was tabbed second in the preseason poll with a trio of first-place votes after capturing the Atlantic Region Championship and leading the league with 42 overall victories. Cal received the remaining pair of first-place votes and was slotted third, followed by Gannon and IUP at fourth and fifth, respectively. Pitt-Johnstown, Slippery Rock, Edinboro and Clarion rounded out the Western Division.

In the PSAC East, Shippensburg was chosen the preseason favorite with five first-place votes. The Raiders made the NCAA Tournament last spring for the first time since 2014 and return two-time Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) National Player of the Year Hannah Marsteller, who has boasted over a .500 average in each of the last two seasons. Kutztown earned a trio of first-place votes after capturing the PSAC Championship for the first time since 2013. Bloomsburg garnered the remaining first-place vote to rank third and Shepherd finished fourth in the poll after making four appearances in the NCAA Tournament from 2017-21. West Chester, East Stroudsburg, Lock Haven, Millersville and Mansfield completed preseason rankings in the Eastern Division.

Cal opens the season in almost a month when they play six games against teams from six states at the NFCA Leadoff Classic from Feb. 24-26 in Columbus, Georgia, which is located along the Chattahoochee River that separates Georgia and Alabama.