SCAD Softball Starts Season in Top 10

The Savannah College of Art and Design softball team is ranked eighth in the preseason NAIA Top 25 Rating.

SCAD returns 11 players, including eight starters and three NAIA All-Americans - pitcher/first baseman Kristen Curette, pitcher Meghan Temple and third baseman Cristina Morgado - from last year's college-record 41-8 squad that won its third consecutive Florida Sun Conference title to go along with its third consecutive NAIA Region XIV Tournament crown. The Bees, who finished the season ranked 15th last year, also earned their third consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championship.

"Preseason rankings are based primarily on last year's performance," said head coach Terri Knecht. "But I can tell you this year's team has even higher aspirations than No. 8."

SCAD has seven games scheduled against teams that are ranked in the preseason poll. The Bees will face No. 6 St. Gregory's University (March 14) and No. 13 University of Mobile (March 15) at the Gulf Coast Invitational in Orange Beach, Ala. SCAD will also host 16th-ranked Bethel (Ind.) College March 6 during the SCAD Smash Hit Spring Break Softball Tournament. The Bees will also play a home-and-home doubleheader against No. 21 Thomas (Ga.) University. The teams will square off in Thomasville March 29 and in Savannah April 19.

SCAD opens its 2008 schedule with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Feb. 9 against Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Ga.