WINTHROP, Mass. - The Albertus Magnus College softball team was chosen to finish second in the South Division in the 2023 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Preseason Coaches Poll, the league office released on Monday afternoon.

Albertus finished last year with a 29-11 overall record and a 15-3 mark in conference play, continuing its streak of eight straight winning seasons. In addition, the Falcons won a program-record 20 straight games, one of the longest winning streaks in NCAA DIII history.    

With their talented roster of core returners and new talent, the Falcons secured the second slot, earning 83 points and five of the possible 13 first-place votes for the south division. Johnson & Wales (RI) University took the top position in the rankings, earning 85 points and garnering eight first-place votes.

The Blue Jays of the University of Saint Joseph (CT) collected 63 points, taking the third spot, while Lasell University and Regis (Mass.) College took the middle ranks in the south division, securing 49 and 42 points. Elms College and Dean College were rounding out the southern division poll with 22 and 17 points, respectively.

The Saints of Emmanuel (Mass.) College took the first-place crown in the North Division, earning 71 points and eight first-place votes. Simmons University and Saint Joseph's College of Maine took second and third place in the north division, tallying 66 and 57 points, respectively. 

Rivier University slotted in at fourth in the north with 40 points, while Norwich University and Anna Maria College were neck-and-neck with each other, garnering 22 and 17 points for the fifth and sixth spots.