Waterville, Maine - The SUNY Poly softball team has been voted the #3 team in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) West Division Pre-season Poll. The poll seedings were determined through a nomination and voting process that was completed by the NAC coaches last week. SUNY Poly received 12 total points, tying them with SUNY Canton for the number three spot in the West Division.  

[NAC RELEASE] 

A Divisional showdown awaits for the 2021 North Atlantic Conference softball season.

Eleven NAC members sponsor the sport, which is divided into East and West divisions. Six teams in the East and five teams in the West will play regular season games within their own division. Divisional foes are scheduled to play two regular season double-headers.

The top-two teams in regular season standings in each division will play a three-game series in a conference semifinal. Divisional round winners advance to the East versus West conference championship, where they will again play a best-of-three series, this time for the NAC title and automatic qualification bid (AQ) to the NCAA national championship tournament. The advancing team from the West Division will host the conference championship series.

In the East Division, 2019 NAC Champion Husson University sits atop the preseason poll with 35 points and five, first-place votes. Thomas College, the top-seed for the 2019 championship tournament, sits in second place with 27 points. UMaine-Presque Isle and UMaine-Farmington are close on their heals with 25 and 21 points, respectively, with the Owls collecting the final first-place vote. Heading into Vermont for the remainder of the East Division, NVU-Johnson sits in fifth place with 11 points, and NVU-Lyndon closes it out with seven points.

Four of the five teams in the West Division are new to the NAC for the 2021 season. SUNY Cobleskill enters as the early favorite, with 23 points and three, first-place votes. Cazenovia College nearly split the top vote, collecting two, first-place votes and a total of 20 points for a close second-place finish. SUNY Poly and SUNY Canton are tied with 12 points each in the third spot, while SUNY Delhi wraps up the poll in fifth place with eight points.

Head coaches voted in preseason polls for their own division.

The divisional round is tentatively scheduled for May 8-9, and the NAC championship series follows one week later, tentatively May 14-15. Tournament dates are flexible to allow student-athletes on advancing teams to attend final exams and commencement ceremonies. Exact dates for the divisional series will be announced after selections.

All plans remain contingent on federal, state, and local health guidance, as well as state college system and institutional realities. The health, safety, and welfare of student-athletes, coaches, and entire college communities remain a priority as the NAC returns to competitive sports. Check with each school for policies regarding spectators.

View the 2021 NAC Softball schedule and results here.

 FOR THE FULL NAC RELEASE CLICK HERE