PORTLAND, Ore. – The Simon Fraser softball team has been picked fifth in the 2022 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. SFU earned 21 points in the vote, one of five teams separated by five points.  
 
2022 GNAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Western Washington (4 first-place votes), 2021 record: 23-14 (11-9, 3rd GNAC) – 46 points
2. Northwest Nazarene (3), 31-14 (11-5, 1st) – 44
3. Western Oregon, 14-17 (9-11, 5th) – 24
4. Saint Martin's, 19-18 (10-10, 4th) – 22
5. Simon Fraser, Did Not Play (COVID) – 21
6. Montana State Billings, 10-26 (6-14, 6th) – 20
7. Central Washington, 18-16 (9-7, 2nd) – 19
 
Simon Fraser is excited to return after missing the entire 2021 season due to the border closure necessitated by the pandemic. The team appeared headed for a shot at the GNAC championship in 2020 in Tina Andreana's first year as head coach, going 13-5 overall and 7-1 in conference play before the season was shut down. Simon Fraser batted .304 on the season and led the GNAC with a .497 slugging percentage in 2020.

Sophomore pitcher Anissa Zacharczuk has yet to lose a game for SFU. She compiled a 10-0 record in 2020 and a 3.58 earned run average in 2020 as she allowed 36 earned runs in 70.1 innings pitched.
 

Junior third baseman Alex Ogg batted .521 that season with an impressive .704 slugging percentage and a .541 on-base percentage. In 74 plate appearances, Ogg walked twice and never struck out.

Junior infielder Hannah Boulanger also returns after hitting .362 with a .660 slugging percentage in 2020.
 
SFU will open the 2022 season on Feb. 18 with a pair of games, against Eastern New Mexico and California (Pa.), at the D2 Cactus Classic in Tucson, Arizona. The team's first conference weekend will feature doubleheaders at Beedie Field in Burnaby against Central Washington (Feb. 26) and Saint Martin's (Feb. 27).
 
QUICK FACTS
Head Coach: Tina Andreana (Oregon State, 2013, 13-5, 3rd Season)
Assistant Coach: Stacy Fournier, Keno Magano
2021 Overall Record: Did Not Play

Total Returners: 12
Total Position Starters Returning/Lost: 5/4
Total Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost: 2/0

Key Returning Position Players: Hannah Boulanger (IF, R/R, 5-5, Jr., Abbotsford, B.C. – Yale Secondary, 2020: 17 GP, .362 batting avg., 7 runs, 17 hits, 2 2B, 4 HR, .660 slugging pct., .415 on base pct.), Hanna Finkelstein (P/UT, R/R, 5-7, Jr., Richmond, B.C. – LIU Post, 2020: 18 GP, .297 batting avg., 15 runs, 19 hits, 4 2B, 3 HR, 20 RBI, .500 slugging pct., 2 SB), Chelsea Hotner (OF, L/R, 5-5, Jr., Abbotsford, B.C. – Yale, 2020: 18 GP, .323 batting avg., 14 runs, 21 hits, 4 2B, 1 HR, .462 slugging pct.), Alex Ogg (3B, L/R, 5-6, Jr., Surrey, B.C. – Earl Marriott, 2020: 18 GP, .521 batting avg., 21 runs, 37 hits, 9 2B, 2 3B, 15 RBI, .704 slugging pct., .541 on base pct., 3 SB).

Key Returning Pitchers: Julia Hansen (P, R/R, 5-9, Fr., Beaconsfield, Que. – Beaconsfield, 2020: 12 appearances, 2-3, 5.35 ERA, 34 IP, 54 hits, 31 runs, 26 earned runs, 14 K), Anissa Zacharczuk (P/UT, L/R, 5-8, So., Kitchener, Ont. – Waterloo Collegiate Institute, 2020: 13 appearances, 10-0, 3.58 ERA, 70.1 IP, 97 hits, 47 runs, 36 earned runs, 25 K).

Key Losses: Kate Fergusson (1B/OF), Amanda Janes (C).

Top Freshmen: Janique Balcean (IF, R/L, 5-4, Winnipeg, Man. – St. Mary's Academy), Avery Barker (IF, R/R, 5-4, Abbotsford, B.C. – Yale), Breanne Beardsall (C, R/L, 5-4, Barrie, Ont. – St. Joseph's), Gabby Coderre (OF/C, R/R, 5-5, Calgary, Alta. – Calgary French & International), Kristen Davyduke (IF, R/R, 5-6, Saksatoon, Sask. – Tommy Douglas), Abby McGlynn (OF, L/R, 5-8, Langley, B.C. – Walnut Grove), Jasmine Polajzar (IF, R/R, 5-7, Langley, B.C. – Yale), Laura Winters (IF, R/R, 5-8, Brooklin, Ont. – Brooklin).

Top Transfers: Makayla Benz (P, R/R, 6-1, So., Simcoe, Ont. – Lawrence Technological Univ.), Grace Peters (IF/OF, R/R, 5-3, R/R, 5-3, Fr., Melbourne, Australia – Deakin Univ. (Australia).

Follow SFU Athletics on Twitter and on Instagram @SFU_Athletics.

--@SFU_Athletics--