Click here for the complete 2013 RMAC softball coaches poll and Preseason All-RMAC team.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The defending Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference postseason champion Fort Lewis College softball team was picked third in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll and received two first place votes, Assistant Commissioner Eric Danner announced yesterday.
 
“The team is excited about the upcoming season,” said third-year FLC head coach Kira Zeiter. “When the preseason poll comes out it is always a last push of motivation to fine tune before beginning games. We appreciate getting some votes to finish first, but what is more important is where we finish at the end of the season. We are definitely looking forward to Las Vegas in a few weeks and showing the hard work on the field.”
 
With eight first place votes and 18 points, Colorado Mines (26-14 in RMAC games in 2012) — the defending RMAC regular season champion — was picked to repeat in 2013. The Orediggers were followed by Colorado Christian (24-16, 42 points), Fort Lewis (24-16, 45 points, two first place votes), Metro State (22-16, 51 points, one first place vote), Colorado State-Pueblo (24-15, 58 points, one first place vote), Colorado Mesa (22-18, 65 points), UC-Colorado Springs (20-20, 67 points, one first place vote), Regis (20-16, 79 points), Adams State (20-20, 88 points), Western New Mexico (11-29, 119 points), Chadron State (14-24, 121 points), New Mexico Highlands (18-22, 122 points) and Black Hills State (6-31, 139 points).
 
Fort Lewis enjoyed arguably the finest softball season in school history in 2012. The Skyhawks set a new school record for victories by finishing with a 30-26 overall record. Fort Lewis won the RMAC tournament and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs, each for the second time in school history. FLC tied for third place in the regular season standings.
 
The Skyhawks open their 2013 season at the 2013 Desert Stinger in Las Vegas, Nev., from Feb. 8-10, where they'll play five games against top NCAA Division II competition.
 
In addition to the team being picked third, Chelsea Rodriguez was named to the Preseason All-RMAC squad.
 
“Chelsea's big bat has earned her plenty of respect around the conference and we're looking forward to her continuing her success from last year,” said Zeiter.”
 
Rodriguez, a 5-foot-6 junior third baseman from Highland High School in Mesa, Ariz., rewrote the FLC record books in 2012. She set single-season records for batting average (.474), hits (73), runs (58) and walks (47). She also owns numerous FLC single-game records, including hits (5, twice), singles (5, at New Mexico Highlands, game 2, April 14, 2012), total bases (11, at Chadron State, game 1, March 18, 2012), home runs (tied with several other players, 2, at Chadron State, game 1, March 18, 2012) and walks (4, vs. New Mexico Highlands, March 19, 2011).
 
Rodriguez was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2012 RMAC tournament, and earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Central Region first team, RMAC All-Tournament team, All-RMAC second team, RMAC All-Academic first team and RMAC Player of the Week (Feb. 14) honors in 2012. She was a third team All-RMAC pick as a true freshman in 2011.
 
She led all of NCAA Division II in on-base percentage (.610) and walks (0.89 per game) in 2012, becoming the first Skyhawk ever to lead the entire nation in a statistical category. She also ranked among the national Top 25 in batting average (sixth), slugging percentage (ninth), and runs per game (17th).
 
Through her first two seasons, Rodriguez is FLC's career leader in batting (.417) and ranks among career leaders in slugging percentage (second, .754), walks (third, 62), home runs (fourth, 21), runs (fifth, 81), RBI (seventh, 70), assists (eighth, 200), total bases (ninth, 190), doubles (13th, 20) and hits (16th, 105).