NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - Eastern Connecticut State University has been predicted to win the Little East Conference softball regular season title after each of the eight head coaches' casted their votes for the annual preseason coaches' poll.  The Warriors earned five first place votes and 61 total points, outdistancing themselves by two markers from Rhode Island College.

The Anchorwomen received the remaining three first place tallies, while Western Connecticut State University and Keene State College completed the top-half of the projected regular season standings with 46 and 41 points, respectively.

Eastern Connecticut made its 15th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season and first since the 1998 squad competed on the national level. Head Coach Diana Pepin guided the Warriors to an overall record of 28-14, and earned a share of the Little East regular season title with a 12-2 mark. Eastern Connecticut hosted the 2008 Little East Championship Tournament, where they advanced to the consolation finals. The Warriors received an at-large berth into the national tournament and posted a 2-2 mark in the Plattsburgh, N.Y. Region. Pepin, the 2008 Little East Coach of the Year, will return six starters from last year's team, including three All-Little East selections.  

Rhode Island College advanced to its second straight NCAA Division III Championship Round last season after capturing the New England Regional Championship over St. Joseph's (LI). Last spring, head coach Maria Morin led the Anchorwomen to their third consecutive Little East Conference Championship and third appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Rhode Island College boasted an overall record of 36-9, marking the third consecutive campaign with at least 35 victories. Morin and her charges are ranked No. 18 in the 2009 National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) preseason poll.

The Colonials and Owls enter the 2009 campaign in the same position they finished in the 2008 regular season standing, sitting in third and fourth, respectively. Western Connecticut earned the program's ninth invitation to the NCAA Tournament and first under second-year head coach Heather Stone. The Colonials reached the consolation semifinals in the Glassboro, N.J. Region before bowing out to Mount Union.  Western Connecticut won at least 30 games for the sixth time in the program's history, boasting an overall record of 31-15.

Head Coach Charlie Beach led Keene State College to the 2008 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Championship game last season. The Owls also advanced to the championship game of the conference tournament before falling to the eventual champion, Rhode Island College. Beach led his team to an overall record of 28-14, including an 8-6 mark in the conference circuit.  

The Little East Conference sponsors a 14-game regular season with each of the eight teams playing a conference doubleheader. The top-six teams in the final regular season standings advance to the 2009 Little East Conference Softball Championship Tournament from April 30 to May 3. The Little East Champion will earn the conference's automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Tournament. In 2008, the Little East received two additional at-large berths.
Completing the preseason poll in projected order of finish are Plymouth State University (31), University of Southern Maine (22), University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (15), and University of Massachusetts Boston (13).