RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Senior designated player Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) of the Manhattan College softball team has been named to Preseason All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) squad by the conference's nine head coaches. In addition, the Lady Jaspers were picked to finish fourth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Rahey was named First Team All-MAAC and First Team All-Northeast Region last season after leading the Lady Jaspers in batting average (.409), home runs (10), RBIs (58), hits (56), doubles (12), total bases (98), walks (25), slugging percentage (.715) and on-base percentage (.494). She led the MAAC in RBIs and hit .512 in conference games last season. Her RBI total was the second-highest mark in school history, and Rahey became just the second player in program history to hit double-digit home runs in one season. Niagara's Teresa Healy, last season's MAAC Player of the Year, was the Preseason Player of the Year.
Defending MAAC champion Iona was tabbed to repeat, collecting 73 points in the poll. Canisius finished just behind the Gaels with 71 points, while Niagara placed third with 63 points. The Lady Jaspers, who are looking to advance to the four-team MAAC Tournament for the third straight year, tallied 50 points in the poll. Fairfield was fifth with 41 points, followed by Siena (33) and Marist (32). Rider was picked eighth with 29 points, while Saint Peter's (9) rounded out the poll.
The Lady Jaspers, who posted a 25-23-1 mark in 2010, open the 2011 campaign with a doubleheader against Hartford at Gaelic Park on March 6.
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