The Hampton Lady Pirates and the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers were predicted to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) softball Northern and Southern Divisions, respectively, the conference announced today.
All preseason honors were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
In its first year under head coach Angela Nicholson, Hampton finished the 2017 campaign with an impressive 17-1 mark in MEAC play en route to claiming its first outright divisional title since 2013. The Lady Pirates received 12 first-place votes and a total of 157 points.
Delaware State was picked to finish second behind the Lady Pirates in a tight race as they received 10 first-place votes and 153 total points. The Hornets finished the 2017 season as the number two team in the Northern Division with a 13-5 ledger. Morgan State was tabbed third with a pair of first place votes and 113 points followed by Coppin State, Norfolk State, Howard (1) and Maryland Eastern Shore to round out the poll.
Florida A&M, which garnered 13 first-place votes and 134 total points, enters as the favorite to capture its fifth consecutive MEAC Championship as only Bethune-Cookman (2000-04) has been able to accomplish that feat since the MEAC sponsored softball. The Lady Rattlers wrapped up league play in 2017 with a 14-2 conference record under legendary head coach Veronica Wiggins. Entering her 27
th season, Wiggins also achieved her 700
th career victory last season en route to FAMU’s 13
th MEAC Championship.
Pollsters predicted another showdown between FAMU and rival Bethune-Cookman as the Wildcats were picked second after receiving 10 first-place votes and 130 total points. The Wildcats completed the 2017 campaign with an 11-4 MEAC mark. North Carolina A&T State was picked third with one first-place vote followed by North Carolina Central, Savannah State (1) and South Carolina State.
| NORTHERN DIVISION |
|
| School |
Points |
| Hampton (12) |
157 |
| Delaware State (10) |
153 |
| Morgan State (2) |
113 |
| Coppin State |
84 |
| Norfolk State |
80 |
| Howard (1) |
59 |
| Maryland Eastern Shore |
54 |
| |
|
| SOUTHERN DIVISION |
|
| School |
Points |
| Florida A&M (13) |
134 |
| Bethune-Cookman (10) |
130 |
| North Carolina A&T State (1) |
97 |
| N.C. Central |
72 |
| Savannah State (1) |
61 |
| South Carolina State |
31 |