Jan. 20, 2009

GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina softball team, predicted to finish second in Conference USA, received four votes in the preseason USA Today/NFCA poll released on Tuesday.

The Pirates are one of three C-USA programs to garner recognition from the NFCA. Defending regular season champion and preseason conference favorite Houston led the way checking in at No. 13. Last season's C-USA Tournament Champion, UCF, also received votes, picking up eight.

A year ago Houston advanced to the NCAA Super Regional before dropping the series, 2-1, to Louisiana-Lafayette. The Knights and Pirates both bowed out of the NCAA Tournament in the Regional round.

The Pirates will begin their season with the ECU Invitational on Feb. 7-8. East Carolina will square off against Virginia at 1 p.m. and Middle Tennessee at 3 p.m. on opening day before taking on the same two foes on Feb. 8.