CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The defending National Champion Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers will open the 2022 season as the team to beat once again as the Bucs were ranked #1 in the NJCAA Preseason Softball Poll released by the National Office Monday afternoon.
The Bucs won their first National Championship in program history last season, going 49-4 and blowing through the competition at the National Tournament, outscoring their opponents 44-20 in their five game run. The Bucs return 10 players from their championship squad including three FCSAA All-State performers in Taylor Jensen, Feline Poot, and Lindsey Corbin. A talented FSW newcomer class is highlighted by speedy outfielder Laura Vigna who was named to the 2020 Tokyo All-Olympic Team while competing for Italy.
FSW was a unanimous selection among the nine voters as the #1 team in the country to start the season, they were followed in the poll by Grayson, Butler, Salt Lake, and Yavapai to round out the top five. Florida was well represented in the poll as usual with Central Florida coming in at #13, Indian River #15 and Chipola #16, with Pensacola receiving votes in the preseason poll.
The Bucs 2022 season kicks off with a fast and furious start this weekend as they play five games in two days at the 2022 Juco Kickoff Classic in Clearwater, taking on Northwest Florida at 10:00 AM Friday in their season opener. The first chance for Bucs fans to see the champs in person at home will be February 3rd when they host Southern Idaho in a doubleheader beginning at 4 PM at City of Palms Park in Downtown Fort Myers.