LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced the results of their 2025 preseason softball coaches poll. Clarion was predicted to finish seventh in the PSAC West this season.
 
The Golden Eagles are coming off a season where they finished 15-31 overall and 10-20 in conference play, which represented an improvement on the year before in terms of conference standing. Clarion has won 32 combined games in two years under third-year head coach Marissa Pullo, the most for any Golden Eagle head coach in a two-year stretch since Natalie Martin won 33 games from 2003-04.
 
Clarion's pitching rotation will be anchored by junior Emma Hipps, who last year already became the program's all-time leader in pitching wins. Hipps is 20-19 in the circle in her career, including an 11-9 mark in 2024 when she struck out 117 batters in 110.1 innings.
 
Six starters are set to return to the batting order as well. Outfielder Alexis Valencia was second on the team in batting average (.348) a year ago and was particularly strong in conference play, batting .452 with a .965 OPS and stealing 14 bases against PSAC West opposition. Clarion will welcome back some power in the lineup, too, with Emily Buchleitner (.891), Desi Allen (.852) and Haylie Rimmey (.844) making up three of the top four returners in terms of OPS.
 
The season opens on Saturday, February 8 when the Golden Eagles head to North Carolina for doubleheaders against Chowan and Elizabeth City. From there Clarion heads to Florida for a week at The Spring Games, and then return home for the PSAC West opener at home against IUP on March 18.

EASTERN DIVISION (# of first place votes)
 
1. East Stroudsburg (5)
2. West Chester (2)
3. Kutztown
4. Shippensburg (2)
5. Bloomsburg
6. Shepherd
7. Lock Haven
8. Millersville
9. Mansfield
 
WESTERN DIVISION (# of first place votes)
 
1. Gannon (6)
2. IUP (1)
3. California (1)
4. Slippery Rock
5. Seton Hill
6. Edinboro
7. Clarion
8. Pitt-Johnstown