Monmouth Softball Selected as 2021 Preseason Favorite, Lindsey Baron & Alyssa Irons Named Preseason Co-Player of the Year
Edison, N.J. (Mar. 2, 2021) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced Tuesday that Monmouth University has been selected as the 2021 softball preseason favorite with 117 points and eight first place votes, as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.
Monmouth’s Lindsey Baron and Alyssa Irons were named the 2021 MAAC Softball Preseason Co-Player of the Year. This marks the second straight season that Baron, the 2019 MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year, has been selected as the preseason player of year. Irons was named the 2019 MAAC Pitcher of year when she shattered the Monmouth program record for wins in a single season with 30. Joining Baron and Irons on the Preseason All-MAAC Team is teammate Erika Corethh and Deangie Jimenez.
Marist placed second in the poll with 112 points and three first place votes. The Red Foxes led the way in preseason honors, naming four players in Kaley Coltrain, Caroline Baratta, Ali Milam, and Calista Phippen to the Preseason All-MAAC Team. Baratta was unanimously selected to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
Fairfield University (93 points) and Iona College (84 points) placed third and fourth in the poll, respectively. Fairfield’s Lauryn Rhinehart and Mikayla Rubin were named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team for the Stags, while Jessica Chilcott from Iona was also named to the team. Rubin was unanimously selected to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
Manhattan College finished in fifth place with 69 points. Manhattan’s Annie Moore and Christine Gebhardt were named to the Preseason All-MAAC team. Canisius College and Siena College finished in a tie for sixth place, with both teams collecting 60 points. Erin Hufford of Canisius College was selected to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
Niagara University and Quinnipiac University followed in eighth and ninth place with 48 and 47 points, respectively. Rounding out the 2021 MAAC Softball Preseason Poll were Rider University (22 points) and Saint Peter’s University (14 points).
| Co-Preseason Players of the Year |
| Lindsey Baron and Alyssa Irons - Monmouth |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Kaley Coltrian |
Catcher |
Jr. |
Marist |
| Erika Coreth |
Catcher |
Jr. |
Monmouth |
| Mikayla Rubin |
Infield |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Christine Gebhardt |
Infield |
Gr. |
Manhattan |
| Lauren Rende |
Infield |
So. |
Manhattan |
| Caroline Baratta |
Infield |
Sr. |
Marist |
| Deangie Jimenez |
Infield |
Sr. |
Monmouth |
| Erin Hufford |
Outfield |
Sr. |
Canisius |
| Ali Milam |
Outfield |
Gr. |
Marist |
| Lindsey Baron |
Outfield |
So. |
Monmouth |
| Annie Moore |
Designated Player |
Jr. |
Manhattan |
| Lauryn Rhinehart |
Utility |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Jessica Chilcott |
Utility |
Jr. |
Iona |
| Calista Phippen |
Pitcher |
Jr. |
Marist |
| Alyssa Irons |
Pitcher |
Jr. |
Monmouth |
| Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| 1 |
Monmouth (8) |
117 |
| 2 |
Marist (3) |
112 |
| 3 |
Fairfield |
93 |
| 4 |
Iona |
84 |
| 5 |
Manhattan |
69 |
| T6 |
Canisius |
60 |
| T6 |
Siena |
60 |
| 8 |
Niagara |
48 |
| 9 |
Quinnipiac |
47 |
| 10 |
Rider |
22 |
| 11 |
Saint Peter's |
14 |
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About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.