C.W. Post head softball coach Jamie Apicella has taken the Pioneers to their highest ascension in the history of the program as they have been the top team in the northeast region with two NCAA regional titles to their credit and have made back-to-back trips to the College World Series. 

Apicella lost the senior quartet of Katie Younes, Kelsey Cooley, Holly Eringis and All-American Samantha Yodowitz to graduation but begins this season with a reloaded roster, including 10 returning lettermen and two NFCA All-Region players. 

Yodowitz, who recently signed with the Philadelphia Force of the National Pro Fastpitch league, returns to the dugout to help coach and develop Apicella's young pitching staff. 

Sophomore Christina Berardi (Raynham, Mass.) is a power pitcher who logged a sizeable 165.1 innings last season and bolstered her stat sheet with a 1.74 ERA and nine shutouts in 27 appearances. Berardi allowed just 144 hits while striking out 127 batters. She can throw for power and mix in off-speed pitches and Apicella describes her as a competitor and big-game pitcher who will establish herself as one of the top pitchers in the region this season.

Sophomore Sarah Kiser (Cooper City, Fla.) is a left-handed pitcher that throws hard and can be counted on for relief or as a go-to starter. Making 12 appearances last season, Kiser held batters to a .227 average while striking out 17 batters in 18 innings. 

Sophomore Morgan Bell (Branchville, N.J.) throws hard and has worked on conditioning and can provide quality innings in an impact role. Her continued development will dictate how many innings she receives.

Newcomer Hayley Choquette-Bettles (Surrey, British Columbia) joins an already potent staff hoping to make the Pioneer pitchers even stronger.  Bettles is a talented and composed pitcher, says Apicella. She is a power pitcher who can change speeds and will compete for the top two or three spots in the rotation. Bettles has experience pitching in high-level games and performed well during the fall season. 

Senior third baseman Megan Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) and junior shortstop Christie Softy (Floral Park, N.Y.) are returners in the infield looking to head up a young but experienced group. 

Correia will compete at the hot corner after having started there the last three seasons. Selected a captain this season, Apicella regards Correia as a true leader on the team. At the plate, the sky's the limit for Correia with her mechanically sound approach. Apicella looks for Correia to step up at the plate this season and continue to improve her offensive numbers.   She showed improved defensive numbers from her sophomore season and will provide a solid option at third base. 

An all-around player, Softy has continually elevated her game and continues to take steps forward.  The two-time all-conference and all-region selection has the ablilty to hit for average as well as power, and her natural athleticism makes her an excellent defensive shortstop.   Described by Apicella as a very productive hitter, Softy batted .316 with 67 hits and led the team in RBI (47) and doubles (14). 

Senior Ashley Marchese (Patchogue, N.Y.) moves in from the outfield and will likely start at first base. Marchese's height and athleticism along with her speed give her an advantage at the position.  Marchese proved valuable on the base path as a pinch runner in 21 games last season, and Apicella will look for the senior to make the adjustments at the plate in order for her to become a productive part of the lineup.

Senior Shannon Kulnis (Flemington, N.J.) could be in the mix in the infield, where she has experience at several positions, and also gives Apicella options in the designated player spot. Kulnis returns after playing a shortened season in 2008 due to injuries.  Offensively, she has the power to get a needed extra base hit and will look to return to her hitting form. “Shannon has great leadership qualities and loves the game, “ says Apicella. 

Also added to the infield are four incoming freshmen; Kristen Morcone (Milford, Mass.), Kerry Fisher (Boyertown, Pa.), Kendall Bright (Manlius, N.Y.), and Kim Kessel (Glen Cove, N.Y.).  Morcone looks to be the frontrunner behind the plate but can also play middle infield if necessary.  She is an aggressive hitter with a good sense of the strike zone and can put the ball in play. 

Kerry Fisher will join her older sister, Katie, who is a junior on the team. Apicella describes Fisher as four-tool player who is intelligent. A speedy athlete, Apicella will look for Fisher to provide power at the plate while also utilizing her ability to play small ball. Her natural position is the outfield though she will also compete for a position in the middle infield. 

Bright had a positive fall season and will be in the mix to make an impact in the middle infield. The athletic freshman is an aggressive hitter with a good awareness of the plate, and has gap power with the ability to drive the ball to all fields.

Kessel will provide depth at the third base and catcher positions and has the ability to drive the ball for the extra base hit, which could have her seeing time in a designated player/pinch hitter role.   

Regarded by Apicella as the fastest player he has ever coached, junior Melissa Medina (Levittown, N.Y.) returns after another stellar season in centerfield. A NFCA/Louisville Slugger First Team selection, she started all 64 games and posted a .982 fielding percentage with just one error all season. At the plate, Medina proved to be a valuable leadoff hitter and led the team with a .427 average and 91 hits – a single-season record. She put her speed to use on the base path and was 36-for-42 in attempted steals while coming around to score 56 times.   

Alongside Medina will be junior Amanda Aiello (Charlton, Mass.), who started 54 games mainly in leftfield last season. She has great range and showed displayed her strong arm throwing out eight runners last season. Aiello batted .305 with 47 hits while scoring 22 runs. Apicella expects Aiello to improve upon her sophomore success and continue to work hard. 

Katie Fisher (Barto, Pa.) returns for her junior campaign and is primed for a breakout season. Last season, she batted .229 with 35 hits and was second in doubles (13) while scoring 21 runs. A strong hitter at the plate who knows how to put the ball in play, Fisher will be relied upon to provide power to the middle of the lineup. 

Incoming freshmen Krysta Palazzo (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) and Lindsey Trotto (Princeton, Mass.) will compete for playing time and can provide valuable depth. 

Palazzo has raw ability and good speed and has very good arm strength, says Apicella. Offensively, she can slap bunt as well as drive the ball from the left side.     

Trotto will compete for time in the outfield and can use her speed and base running skills to come into a game as a pinch runner.

C.W. Post always plays a challenging schedule against the region's top teams and this season is no different. The Pioneers open the 2009 season in Salisbury, N.C. at the Catawba Tournament, playing a five-game slate, beginning with Bluefield State and University of California (Pa.) on Feb. 27. Apicella considers the tournament to be similar to postseason play with the quality of teams participating.

The Pioneers head south for the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., March 8-14. The challenging 10-game schedule will feature preseason-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato and Caldwell College as well as Le Moyne College and Stonehill College.

"Our 2009 schedule is one of the toughest schedules that we have ever put together for the Pioneers," says Apicella.  "We are excited to challenge ourselves right away with accomplished programs nationally both in the Catawba Tournament and the Rebel Spring Games."

The Pioneers return to Brookville to host non-conference opponents American International College (March 21) and will play Le Moyne (March 22) before opening conference play against Mercy College on March 24. 

The Pioneers will embark on a swing through New England, beginning with the University of New Haven on April 7 followed by Merrimack College (April 9), University of Massachusetts Lowell (April 10), Southern New Hampshire University (April 11) and ending with the University of Bridgeport (April 14). 

C.W. Post closes out its regular season with three contests at home against Molloy College (April 23), New York Institute of Technology (April 25) and Georgian Court (April 26).

The East Coast Conference Championship tournament begins April 29, which will be hosted by New York Institute of Technology (NYIT).