Canisius College senior outfielder Lizzy Gatto was named to the 2012 Preseason All-MAAC Team, and the Golden Griffins were selected to finish fourth in the annual coaches poll, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announced today. This marks the second-straight year Gatto has received preseason all-league honors.

Gatto was named Second Team All-MAAC after the 2011 season where she hit .319 with eight doubles, four triples and a home run to go with 26 runs scored and 21 stolen bases. The Hollister, Calif., native finished her junior campaign tied for second in the conference with her four triples, and she ranked 41st in the country with her 21 steals. A two-time MAAC All-Academic honoree, Gatto has made all 138 of her career starts in centerfield, and she enters her senior season ranked 12th in school history with nine career triples and fifth in program history with 45 stolen bases.

As a team, Canisius was chosen to finish fourth in the MAAC standings, with two-time defending champion Iona picked to win the league again with 81 points in a vote by the MAAC's nine head coaches. Marist was picked second with 68 points, while Fairfield (58 points), Canisius (54 points) and Siena (44 points) rounding out the top-five. Niagara was picked sixth with 37 points, with the poll being rounded out by Manhattan (29 points), Rider (22 points) and Saint Peter's (12 points). Iona senior pitcher Sarah Jackson was selected as the 2012 MAAC Softball Preseason Player of the Year.

The softball team will open the 2012 season on Friday, Feb. 10, when the Blue and Gold plays Drexel and East Carolina on the first day of the ECU Pirate Classic in Greenville, N.C. The Griffs will start MAAC play on Saturday, April 7, when the squad plays host to Siena at the Demske Sports Complex.