CRESSON, Pa. -- On Tuesday, the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference released their annual Softball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll. Mount Aloysius was picked to finish third, while Whitney Cole and Ella Pearson were named as Players to Watch.

The Mounties were picked to finish third in 2023, following last season where they finished in a tie for third place. Mount Aloysius finished tied for third with Medaille, registering a 10-6 AMCC record. The rest of the preseason poll mirrored last year's finish, with Penn State Behrend selected as the preseason favorite and Penn State Altoona as the runner-up. Medaille is no longer a member of the AMCC, leaving the Mounties sitting alone in third.

Sophomore Whitney Cole (McDonald, Pa. / South Fayette) was picked as a Player to Watch in 2023, after being named the 2022 AMCC Newcomer of the Year. She also earned First Team All-AMCC recognition. Cole led the team in batting average (.432) and runs batted in (25), while also tallying 41 hits and six doubles.

Fellow Sophomore Ella Pearson (Tyrone, Pa. / Tyrone) was also selected as a Player to Watch for the upcoming season. Pearson was named Third Team All-AMCC as an outfielder in 2022. She had a .389 batting average to go along with team-highs in hits (42), doubles (8), and triples (7). Pearson also went a perfect 18-for-18 in stolen bases.

The Mounties are set to open the season with a double-header at Washington & Jefferson on March 4, followed by a double-header at Chatham on March 8. After 10 games in South Carolina, they come back for two more road matchups with President's Athletic Conference foes, Grove City and Thiel. They also play on the road later in the season against PAC opponents, Franciscan and Waynesburg. They have two non-conference double-headers against Carlow and Juniata. Their date against Juniata will be the home opener on March 28.

In AMCC play, the Mounties will play double-headers against all teams, with home matchups against Alfred State (April 22), La Roche (May 6), Pitt-Bradford (April 1), and Pitt-Greensburg (April 19). Their other three double-headers will be on the road against Hilbert, Penn State Altoona, and Penn State Behrend.

To read the full AMCC release click here.

2023 Softball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll
1. Penn State Behrend (1)
2. Penn State Altoona (2)
3. Mount Aloysius (T-3)
4. Pitt-Bradford (5)
5. Alfred State (T-6)
6. La Roche (T-6)
7. Pitt-Greensburg (8)
8. Hilbert (9)
* Number in parenthesis is order of regular season finish in 2022
** Mount Aloysius tied with Medaille in 2022