PSAC announces Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll; Haven opens season Feb. 14

LOCK HAVEN – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released the 2025 Preseason Softball Coaches’ polls today (Jan. 22), and the Lock Haven softball team was picked seventh in the PSAC Eastern Division.

East Stroudsburg received five of nine first-place votes and was picked as the favorite by the coaches in the PSAC Eastern Division. West Chester and Kutztown picked up two first-place votes each, and are slated at second and third, respectively. Shippensburg and Bloomsburg were slated at fourth and fifth, while Shepherd, Lock Haven, Millersville and Mansfield round out the East.

In the Western Division, Gannon led the way with six first-place votes, while Indiana (Pa.) was picked second and California (Pa.) was picked third with one first-place vote each. Slippery Rock and Seton Hill were picked fourth and fifth, while Edinboro, Clarion and Pitt-Johnstown rounded out the West.

Last season, Lock Haven finished 18-26 overall and 14-18 in the PSAC East. The Haven ended the year in sixth place in the highly competitive Eastern Division. Seeds two through six were separated by just four games.

The program’s all-time wins leader Kelly Shannon enters her 16^th season as the Lock Haven softball head coach. On April 14, the Bald Eagles took down West Chester, 3-1, to earn Shannon’s 347th head coaching victory at The Haven, moving her into first place all-time in program history. Shannon is 352-296-1 in her decorated career.

The 2025 Bald Eagles will feature a strong core of returners, mixed with a deep and decorated recruiting class of 11 athletes.

On offense, Bella Schmitt returns after finishing second on the club in RBIs (26), tied for third in home runs (two) and fourth in hits (37).

Maci Brodzina and Hailey Irwin also return to the Bald Eagles’ lineup after breakout campaigns in 2024. Brodzina registered a .459 slugging percentage after belting out seven doubles and three home runs. Irwin, in just her first season, tied for the team lead in home runs with four.

In the circle, the Bald Eagles return both weekend starters in Faith Persing and Keiva Middleton.

Persing led the Bald Eagles in wins (13), innings (127), complete games (nine), earned run average (2.65) and strikeouts (59). As a sophomore, Middleton recorded career-highs in every pitching category, while picking up four wins and striking out 19 batters in 54.2 innings.

The Bald Eagles open the season by traveling to Wise, Virginia to compete in the University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA) tournament on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 14-16. The Bald Eagles will play a pair of games against UVA Wise (host), North Greenville and West Virginia State.

Following the opening weekend, Lock Haven remains on the road and will visit Goldey-Beacom for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday (Feb. 25) in Wilmington, Del.

The Bald Eagles wrap up their spring training schedule by competing in the Slippery Rock Tournament in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania on Saturday and Sunday, March 1-2. The Haven will play a pair of games against D’Youville and Slippery Rock.

The Haven opens PSAC East divisional play on Tuesday (March 18) with a doubleheader at Mansfield.

To view the entire Lock Haven softball 2025 schedule, click here. https://www.golhu.com/sports/softball/schedule

2025 PSAC Softball Preseason Polls (# of first-place votes in parentheses)

Eastern Division

1. East Stroudsburg (5)
2. West Chester (2)
3. Kutztown
4. Shippensburg (2)
5. Bloomsburg
6. Shepherd
7. Lock Haven
8. Millersville
9. Mansfield

Western Division

1. Gannon (6)
2. IUP (1)
3. California (1)
4. Slippery Rock
5. Seton Hill
6. Edinboro
7. Clarion
8. Pitt-Johnstown