MADISON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - Defending conference champion, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, is the preseason favorite to secure the 2012 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) softball championship, according to the league’s sports information directors.

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The Falcons entered the 2012 campaign ranked No. 21 nationally by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and earned four first-place votes in the WIAC poll. UW-River Falls made the program’s first NCAA championship appearance since 1994 a season ago. Faye Perkins returns to coach the Falcons after a four-year break. She begins her 19th season in charge of the squad with a victory total that ranks second in WIAC archives.

This year’s squad features eight returning starting position players, including five individuals that have previously earned All-WIAC recognition. Senior Rose Tusa secured WIAC Pitcher of the Year recognition in 2011 after topping the conference with 200 innings pitched, 231 strikeouts and 21 victories. She ranks fifth in league archives with 496 career strikeouts.

UW-Whitewater claimed two first-place votes in the WIAC projections and is slotted for second in the nine-team league derby. The Warhawks entered the season ranked No. 16 nationally and have finished in the top three in the WIAC regular-season standings each of the last four seasons with conference titles in 2008 and 2009. UW-Whitewater returns its top-three hitters from a year ago in juniors Amanda Mertes (.403) and Emily Epifanio (.382), and sophomore Mimi Ramirez (.381). Gone from last season’s squad is two-time WIAC Pitcher of the Year Jessica Stang. Head coach Brenda Volk, the winningest coach in conference history, needs 11 victories to reach 400 in her career.

UW-Eau Claire, UW-Superior and UW-Stevens Point each secured one first-place tally in the conference poll with the Blugolds expected to finish third, the Yellowjackets sixth and the Pointers seventh.

The Blugolds, ranked No. 23 nationally, have secured seven WIAC trophies in program archives with the most recent in 2006. A year ago, senior Jess Freagon posted a .404 batting average, 33 runs scored, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 53 RBIs, while junior Emily Haluska compiled a .406 batting average, 22 runs scored and 27 RBIs. Head coach Leslie Huntington is 17 victories away from achieving 300 in her career.

UW-Superior returns all nine starters from the 2011 campaign when the team registered at least 20 victories for the second straight year. Senior Ashley Martin topped the conference with a .444 batting average and seven triples, while ranking third with a .462 on-base percentage. Senior Taylor VanDamme accumulated a team-best 28 RBIs and was second on the squad with 44 hits. Head coach Roger Plachta is the program’s all-time wins leader.

UW-Stevens Point welcomes Jill Millis as its new head coach. She was most recently the head coach at Dakota County Technical College (Minn.), and has also served as an assistant at Ithaca College (N.Y.) and UW-Eau Claire. Millis was a four-time All-WIAC performer at UW-Eau Claire. The Pointers return junior Katie Shulfer who was second on the team with a .385 batting average, 28 runs scored and four home runs.

UW-La Crosse is scheduled to play its first 17 contests away from home before playing 12 of its next 16 at home. The Eagles have recorded their top-three seasons in wins the last three years, winning a school-record 38 games in 2010, 34 in 2009 and 28 in 2011, while also making three consecutive NCAA championship appearances. Senior Katie Keyes ranks sixth in school history with 26 career doubles. Gone from last year’s team is two-time WIAC Position Player of the Year Jenna Ahnen.

UW-Oshkosh has won at least 20 contests in each of the past eight seasons, including 36 in 2007 and 32 in 2008. The Titans return five players who started at least 30 games last season and three of their top five hitters. Junior Courtney Wautier is back after ranking sixth in the conference with a 2.61 earned run average in 2011, and has a 22-19 career record in 249 innings pitched.

Lee Negrelli begins her first season in charge of UW-Platteville after serving as an assistant coach at Francis Marion University (S.C.) and University of Mount Union (Ohio). The Pioneers begin their 31st season of intercollegiate softball with six returning position players, including senior Chantal McReynolds who has played in 92 consecutive games. Junior Melissa Anderson ranks fifth in program history with 117 career strikeouts.

UW-Stout begins its 20th season of intercollegiate softball with a roster that contains six pitchers, including four who have collegiate experience. Junior Allison Gray led the 2011 squad with 41 hits, eight doubles and five home runs. Chris Stainer is the longest tenured softball coach at UW-Stout and boasts the most wins of any Blue Devil coach.

Team Vitals (Entering the 2012 season)
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach: Leslie Huntington; 11th season at UWEC; 283-149
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/10
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 3/2
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 1/1
Returning All-WIAC: Jess Freagon, Sr., INF/OF (2011-First); Emily Haluska, Jr., INF (2011-First); Emily Muller, Sr., INF/OF (2010-Honorable)

UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Chris Helixon; 11th season (7th at UWL); 205-187-1 (overall) / 153-103 (UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/9
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 3/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 2/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 1/0
Returning All-WIAC: Katie Keyes, Sr., INF (2011-First); Lacey Probst, Sr., LHP/INF (2011-Honorable)

UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Cindy Suess; 8th season at UWO; 182-109-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/8
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 2/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/0
Returning All-WIAC: Courtney Wautier, Jr., RHP (2011-Honorable)

UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Lee Negrelli; 1st season at UWP
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/3
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 6/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 2/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 0/0
Returning All-WIAC: Brittany Caley, Jr., 2B/RHP (2010-Honorable); Colleen Lowe, Jr., 3B (2011-Honorable)

UW-River Falls
Head Coach: Faye Perkins; 19th season at UWRF; 384-328-2
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 15/3
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 8/2
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 2/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 1/0
Returning All-WIAC: Hayley Buchanan, Jr., INF (2010-Honorable, 2011-Honorable); Ashley Goettl, Jr., INF (2010-Honorable, 2011-First); Patty Olson, Sr., C (2010-First); Amanda Ryder, Jr., OF (2011-First); Rose Tusa, Sr., RHP (2009-Honorable, 2010-First, 2011-First)

UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Jill Millis; 1st season at UWSP
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 11/12
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 3/8
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 2/0
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/0
Returning All-WIAC: Katie Krueger, Jr., 1B (2011-Honorable); Katie Shulfer, Jr., 3B/OF (2011-Honorable)

UW-Stout
Head Coach: Chris Stainer; 15th season (14th at UWS); 226-323 (overall) / 208-298 (at UWS)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 11/8
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 3/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/1
Returning All-WIAC: Alison Gray, Jr., C/INF (2010-Honorable); Sammy Peterson, Sr., INF (2011-Honorable)

UW-Superior
Head Coach: Roger Plachta; 12th season at UWS; 233-188-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/1
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 9/1
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 2/0
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/0
Returning All-WIAC: Lindsay Garay, Jr., RHP/1B (2011-Honorable); Amanda LeBard, Jr., RHP (2011-Honorable); Ashley Martin, Sr., C/2B (2009-Honorable, 2010-First, 2011-First); Taylor VanDamme, Sr., OF (2010-First, 2011-First)

UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: Brenda Volk; 14th season at UWW; 389-174-4
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 15/10
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 7/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 1/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 0/1
Returning All-WIAC: Emily Epifanio, Jr., C (2010-Honorable, 2011-First); Amanda Mertes, Jr., OF (2011-First); Mimi Ramirez, So., 2B/OF (2011-Honorable)