STARKVILLE, Miss. (June 1) – For the first time since 2003, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team finished the year ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 Poll.
The Vulcans moved back into the national poll by winning two games in the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament to finish the season ranked No. 25. Under 16th-year head coach
Rick Bertagnolli, Cal U posted a 35-10 overall record and won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West with a 13-1 league mark.
This year, the Vulcans earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the 15th time in the last 16 years and posted two extra-inning wins before being eliminated by eventual-national champion Lock Haven University.
Behind the play of PSAC West Pitcher of the Year
Maria Greco (Pickering, Ontario/Notre Dame Catholic), Cal U finished the year among the national leaders with a 1.65 team ERA. The offense was bolstered by the addition of several key freshmen, including catcher
Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central), who set a school freshman record with 13 homers.
Cal U, which posted a seven-game improvement from last year, featured nine All-PSAC West selections in 2009.