RICHMOND, Va. – The Elon University softball team was selected to finish sixth in its inaugural Colonial Athletic Association preseason poll on as announced by the league office on Wednesday morning, Jan. 28.
 
The Phoenix received 28 points in the poll conducted by the league coaches, just one point from tying for fifth with Delaware. Defending league champion James Madison was tabbed as the preseason favorite with 56 points and seven first-place votes while College of Charleston was selected to finish second with 48 points. 

Hofstra was chosen third and had one first-place vote followed by Towson in fourth. UNCW and Drexel rounded out the poll in seventh and eighth, respectively.
 
Elon finished 2014 with a record of 24-29-1 and returns six starters and 14 letterwinners for fourth-year head coach Kathy Bocock. Headlining the returning starters for the Phoenix is sophomore Alaina Hall, who led Elon in hits (56), batting average (.341) and stolen bases (17) as a rookie and earned All-Southern Conference honors.
 
The Phoenix opens its season next Saturday, Feb. 7, with a doubleheader versus USC Upstate and Radford at Hunt Softball Park beginning at 1 p.m. The maroon and gold closes out the opening weekend with a rematch against the Highlanders on Sunday, Feb. 8, at noon.
 
2015 CAA Softball Coaches' Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
 
( ) = First place votes
 
1.          James Madison                                 56 points (7)
 
2.         College of Charleston                        48
 
3.         Hofstra                                               46 (1)
 
4.         Towson                                               37
 
5.         Delaware                                            29
 
6.         Elon                                                    28
 
7.         UNCW                                                21
 
8.         Drexel                                                 15