GREENVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org)--The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) released the results of this season's PAC Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll, along with its Players to Watch list, on Wednesday. Geneva College and 20th-year head coach Van Zanic were picked as the preseason favorite to repeat as league champions. 

Chatham earned an eighth place bid with 37 points. They also had five student-athletes named Players to Watch, including returners Mackenzie Dunn, Lauren McNany, Paige Shaftic, and Lauren Haak, as well as newcomer Isabelle Griswold.

The annual preseason poll collects votes from each of the conference's 10 head coaches.

Last spring, Geneva earned the top seed in the league's six-team championship tournament. The double-elimination tournament was held Friday and Saturday, May 7-8 at the Bill and Rita Conrady Softball Field in Beaver Falls. Geneva claimed its second PAC championship tournament title (2012) with a 4-2 victory over No. 3 Bethany College. With the win, Geneva secured the league's automatic qualifying bid (Pool A) to the NCAA Division III Championship.

Geneva collected eight first-place votes and 89 total points on the coaches' poll. 

Westminster College and 26th-year head coach Jan Reddinger finished second in this year's poll, earning one first-place vote and 82 points. The Titans lone PAC title came in 2005. 

Bethany College, led by fourth-year head coach Cassie Moore, claimed the final first-place vote and 73 points to finish third. Bethany owns a PAC-best 13 conference titles. Its last title came in 2011. 

Grove City College was picked fourth (59) and was followed by Washington & Jefferson College in fifth (57), Saint Vincent College in sixth (54), Waynesburg University in seventh (43), Chatham University in eighth (37), Thiel College in ninth (24) and Franciscan University in 10th (22). 

This year's six-team PAC Softball Championship Tournament is scheduled to get underway Tuesday, May 3 with a play-in series hosted by the No. 4 seed. The tournament's top seed will host the double-elimination tournament Friday-Saturday, May 6-7. 

The winner of this year's championship tournament title will secure the league's automatic qualifying bid to the Division III Softball Championship, with teams and regional site selections announced on Monday, May 9. 

Regional round play is scheduled for Friday-Sunday, May 13-15. The Super Regionals will be played Friday-Saturday, May 20-21. The eight teams advancing from the Super Regionals will participate in the Division III Championship finals, slated for Thursday-Tuesday, May 26-31 at Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia.