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Softball Brandon Sans

Coaches Tab Seahawks Fourth in Preseason Poll

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW softball team has been projected to finish fourth in the 2024 Coastal Athletic Association Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.

The Seahawks, who will host the 2024 CAA Championships at Boseman Field in May, won a program-record 17 conference games (23-27 overall) in 2023 to finish second place in the league. Delaware topped the poll while Campbell and defending CAA champion Hofstra rounded out the top three in the predicted order of finish.

UNCW is represented by three players – Kara Hammock, Arial Pearce and Tayler Vitola - on the CAA's Softball Preseason Watch List. All three were All-CAA performers last season with Hammock and Pearce appearing on the league's First-Team while Vitola earned Second-Team status.

Hammock pitched to a 12-3 record with a 2.47 ERA in 105.2 innings as a sophomore. The 6-2 right-hander once again pairs with former CAA Pitcher of the Year Emily Winstead as one of the league's top 1-2 punches in the circle.

Pearce aims for her third straight All-CAA season after batting .308 with 69 hits, a pair of home runs and 35 RBI over her first two seasons. In 2023, Pearce led the league with a .435 average in conference games.

Vitola was not far behind Pearce, finishing with a sterling .397 average in CAA contests one year ago. The speedster second baseman is one of six Seahawks to have at least 50 career stolen bases and looks to continue climbing the all-time ladder.

The second season of the Ashley Wade era begins on Feb. 8 vs. Queens (N.C.) in part of a six-team, four-day home tournament that also includes DePaul, North Dakota State, Northern Kentucky and Furman. UNCW will play five games over the weekend as will the other five teams.

2024 CAA Softball Preseason Poll
 
  Team (1st) Points
1. Delaware (3) 112
2. Campbell (6) 109
3. Hofstra (3) 101
4. UNCW 96
5. Towson 82
6. Elon 73
7. Stony Brook 56
8. Charleston 55
9. North Carolina A&T 39
10. Monmouth 36
11. Drexel 20
12. Hampton 13
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Kara Hammock

#18 Kara Hammock

P
6' 2"
Junior
R/R
Arial Pearce

#26 Arial Pearce

OF
5' 7"
Junior
L/L
Tayler Vitola

#27 Tayler Vitola

IF
5' 7"
Senior
L/R
Emily Winstead

#13 Emily Winstead

P
5' 8"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Kara Hammock

#18 Kara Hammock

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
P
Arial Pearce

#26 Arial Pearce

5' 7"
Junior
L/L
OF
Tayler Vitola

#27 Tayler Vitola

5' 7"
Senior
L/R
IF
Emily Winstead

#13 Emily Winstead

5' 8"
Junior
R/R
P