FLORENCE, S.C. – The Francis Marion University women’s softball team has been picked to finish sixth during the 2007 Peach Belt Conference season, according to the annual preseason poll by the conference’s coaches.

Georgia College & State University, under the direction of head coach Ginger Miller, an FMU graduate and former Patriot player, received five of 10 first-place votes and has been chosen as the preseason favorite with 93 points. Columbus State University, the 2006 PBC regular-season champion, garnered four first-place votes and finished a close second with 90 points.

USC Upstate (78) placed third, followed by Augusta State University (73), Armstrong Atlantic State University (69), FMU (52), North Georgia College & State University (51), USC Aiken (29), UNC Pembroke (27), Lander University (26), and PBC newcomer Georgia Southwestern State University (17). Coaches were not allowed to rank their own teams in the preseason poll.

Third-year FMU head coach Stacey Johnson Vallee welcomes back 13 letterwinners, including six position starters, the designated hitter, and two starting pitchers, from the 2006 squad that finished 27-16 and narrowly missed a bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third consecutive year.

Leading the returnees is All-PBC and first-team All-Region designated hitter Shannan Tyson, who last year batted a team-leading .379, including an amazing .482 in PBC contests.   Also returning are senior third baseman Janine Allen (.363, 9 HRs, 37 RBIs); junior shortstop Allie Aleman (.287, 6 HRs, 29 RBIs), an All-PBC and All-Region selection in 2005; and junior first baseman Monica Wofford (.286, 4 HRs, 15 RBIs). Last year, Wofford ranked fourth in NCAA II in being hit by pitches as she was plunked a school-record 13 times.

The entire starting outfield also returns: sophomore left fielder Lakyn Bendle (.243), senior center fielder Jenna Sexton (.217), and sophomore right fielder Megan Pangburn (.297).

Returning on the mound are senior right-hander Jessica Johnson (16-7, 2.23 ERA) and sophomore righty Serena Lim (10-9, 2.65 ERA). Johnson owns a career mark of 45-19 with a 2.02 ERA in 87 games and 319 strikeouts in 447.1 innings.

Four freshmen and one junior college transfer comprise the squad’s newcomers for 2007.

FMU opens its season on Feb. 8 with a road doubleheader against USCA. The Patriots' 48-game schedule includes 10 home doubleheaders and the annual Patriot Invitational Tournament, a three-day 26-team event at the Freedom Florence Softball Complex.

Francis Marion has averaged nearly 32 wins per season over the past 12 campaigns.