May 5, 2009

Stony Brook, N.Y. - After finishing atop the America East Conference standings and winning its first-ever regular season softball title, Stony Brook University has earned the right to host the 2009 America East Softball Championship. The Seawolves, who are looking to repeat as America East Champions, enter the four-team tournament as the top seed for the first time in school history and will face No. 4 UMBC on Thursday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. No. 2 Boston University will then square off with No. 3 Albany at 3:30 p.m. All games will be held at University Field and tickets can be purchased by visiting http://goseawolves.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/09-america-east-champ.html.

Stony Brook enters the Championship off a record-setting regular season. The Seawolves are rewriting the record book this year, starting with the most wins in a season. SBU currently stands at 35-12 (15-5 America East), besting the previous record of 33 wins, set just last season. The 15 conference wins are also two more than any other Seawolves team has ever recorded. With a 20-2 record at University Field, Stony Brook has experienced unprecedented success at home, a definite advantage heading into the double-elimination tournament.

If the Seawolves win their game against UMBC, they will play the winner of BU vs. Albany at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. However, if SBU loses they will be sent into the Losers' Bracket where they will have to win twice in a row on Friday to reach the championship game on Saturday.

Stony Brook charged through the Championship last season as the No. 3 seed, outscoring its opponents, 14-2, in three games. Seniors Marissa Fleury (Mahopac, N.Y.), Molly Kestranek (St. Mary's, Ga.) and Kelly Oberto (Spring Lake Heights, N.J.) were named to the All-Championship team along with junior Alyssa Struzenberg (Cooper City, Fla.) who was named the Most Outstanding Player as well.