FOREST, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College received 10 first place votes on the way to 100 total points to headline the 2014 ODAC Softball Preseason Poll. Three teams tied for second behind the Marlins, all receiving 79 tallies from the league's head coaches. Lynchburg College secured the remaining first place vote and sits level with Randolph-Macon College and Roanoke College in the annual survey.

The 2013 ODAC Tournament not only needed extra innings, but an extra day as weather stretched the event to four days in Salem. Virginia Wesleyan and Shenandoah University clashed in the longest game in ODAC history to decide who would wear the crown. The contest lasted 19 innings, snapping the league-mark by four frames and falling just two innings short of the NCAA Division III record. The Marlins proved victorious, pushing across two-runs on a homer by Lindsey Inzana for an 8-6 win over SU.

Roanoke (31-14, 15-5) will be looking to a mix of new and old to continue its recent success, which includes a "trip" to Salem for the national championship series in 2012 and appearances in the last two NCAA tournaments. Pitcher Kelly Higbie (17-8, 1 SV, 15 CG, 2.00 ERA, 157.1 IP, 87 K) and shortstop/pitcher Stephanie Clark (.309, 6 2B, 7 HR, 43 RBI/12-5, 1 SV, 13 CG, 3.04 ERA, 108.1 IP, 66 K) earned second team honors in 2013. They're joined by outfielder Rhea Schleicher (.307, 3 HR, 11 RBI) and catcher Alexis Roop (.288, 7 HR, 26 RBI) as experienced veterans from the 2012 squad.

The Maroons open their regular season on Sunday, February 16^th as they play Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, VA. That double-header will have a start time of 1:00 PM. Roanoke will then go on to compete in the Triangle Classic on February 22-23, where they will play Meredith, St. Andrews Presbyterian, #3 Salisbury and William Peace. The very next weekend the Maroons play in Virginia Beach in the Beach Blast Tournament, playing #3 Salisbury again, as well as Mary Washington, SUNY Old Westbury and Washington College. The Maroons finally play their first home games on March 7-8 in the Roanoke College Softball Bash, hosting Penn State Altoona, Mount Aloysius, and La Roche. Roanoke's ODAC opener takes place on March 12^th as they travel to Greensboro to take on Guilford College. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM.

The 2014 softball season begins on Saturday, February 15. For more information on ODAC softball, visit any of the participating schools' websites or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter.

2014 ODAC SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes first place votes

1. Virginia Wesleyan (10)	100 pts.
2. Lynchburg (1)	79 pts.
2. Randolph-Macon	79 pts.
2. Roanoke	79 pts.
5. Shenandoah	65 pts.
6. Bridgewater	53 pts.
7. Eastern Mennonite	45 pts.
8. Guilford	40 pts.
9. Randolph	35 pts.
10. Emory & Henry	20 pts.
11. Sweet Briar	10 pts.