DePaul Blue Demons
Overall Rank: #38
Conference Rank: #3 Big East
DePaul Team Page
Under the direction of longtime head coach, Eugene Lenti, one thing you can always count on is a Blue Demon softball team that will you fight you tooth and nail for everything you get. The 2011 edition of DePaul dominated the Big East and took heavily favored Missouri to the limit, forcing the Tigers to beat them twice in the Columbia Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Also, the elevation of Samantha Findlay to a full time assistant coaching position will elevate the Blue Demon hitter’s performance to even higher levels.
2011: 41-15, 19-2
2011 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Eugene Lenti
Field Players:
Samantha Dodd, a junior outfielder, brings a strong blend of speed, the ability to hit for average and to drive the ball out of the park when the situation needs it. The graduation of Alex Morocco and her .383 batting average, along with 15 stolen bases, leaves a huge void offensively. Dodd will be counted on to ignite the offense. Second baseman Allie Braden looks to build on her impressive freshman season where she made third team All Big East while hitting .298 in 2011.
Pitchers:
Kirsten Verdun returns in the circle for DePaul as the ace. She won 22 games, is not a typical strikeout heavy pitcher. Verdun is also a dual threat, as she plays first base when not pitching and had a team-leading 11 homeruns in 2011 to help her cause pitching wise. Look for Bree Brown’s role to expand to pick up for the graduation of Lindsey Dean who was the team’s number two pitcher last season.
Who to Watch:
Senior third baseman Lynsey Ciezki is one of only three seniors on the roster and will be counted on heavily leading her younger teammates. Ciezki made the Big East All-Tournament team in 2011. She won’t beat you with her power but she hit a solid .286 and only committed two errors leading to a .986 fielding percentage last season. Also, look for Megan Coronado’s role to expand as she had 30 starts in her freshman year and provided a steady bat, and excellent defense with 12 assists in 2011.
Final Projection:
This is a young team for Coach Lenti, but with his track record of player development and the Blue Demon softball program’s winning culture, I would suspect another 40-ish win season and an NCAA Tournament berth is in the offing. This was a team that was viewed as an overachiever in 2011 as they played so many freshmen. Under the tutelage of veteran ace pitching Coach, Nancy Evans, Verdun’s dual threat ability should only continue to grow. Evans is the longtime architect of the Arizona pitching prowess and won three NCAA championships. The Big East will be challenging with quality programs like Notre Dame, Syracuse and others, but the Blue Demons should be up for the challenge in 2012.
Projected Postseason: NCAA
Returning Leaders:
At Bats: Samantha Dodd, OF, 180
Hits: Samantha Dodd, OF, 58
Home Runs: Kirsten Verdun, P/IF, 11
RBIs: Kirsten Verdun, P/IF, 43
Runs: Kirsten Verdun, P/IF, 37
Stolen Bases: Samantha Dodd, OF, 11
Wins: Kirsten Verdun, P/IF, 22
Innings Pitched: Kirsten Verdun, P/IF, 162.1
Strikeouts: Kirsten Verdun, P/IF, 136
Saves: Three tied with 3 each
