Jan. 9, 2009

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—The University of Pittsburgh softball team enters the 2009 season with returning all-conference selections Samantha Card and Kayla Zinger. Earlier this week, the Panthers were ranked No. 7 in the Big East preseason poll, after falling in a heartbreaking 11-inning loss in the first round of the Big East Championships, last year.

The 2008 season was one of great firsts for Pitt. For the first time in the program’s history, the squad earned votes in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll, upset four ranked teams, earned three all-conference selections and beat several rivals among other notable achievements.

Card (Miami, Fla./Our Lady of Lourdes/Florida International), who was named to the All-Big East first team, ECAC All-Star second team and the NFCA Louisville Slugger All-Mid Atlantic Region second team, holds team single-season records for batting average (.394) and RBI (44) and is third for career homeruns (18).

Zinger (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunnyslope) recorded Pitt’s first no-hitter in five seasons, when she earned a 1-0 shutout over Connecticut on April 5, 2008. Zinger also holds the single-season ERA record with a 1.88 that she boasted last year.

Pitt opens the season on Friday, Feb. 6, against Long Island at 9 a.m., in Boca Raton, Fla.

2009 BIG EAST Preseason Softball Poll
DePaul (9)
USF (4)
Louisville
Notre Dame
Connecticut
Syracuse
Pittsburgh
Providence
Villanova
St. John’s
Rutgers
Seton Hall
Georgetown