BROWN

Last year: 16-23, 5-9

This spring: 4-4

Another solid Brown team that again enters a season with high expectations. The Bears feel that this is one of the most talented and deep teams that have worn the Brown and White in a while. Thus far, the Bears have been paced offensively by sophomore catcher Jaimie Wirkowski (batting .500), junior pitcher/outfielder Marissa Berkes (.400), and senior First Team All-Ivy second baseman Laura Leonetti (.375). Berkes has also been the Bears best option in the pitching circle, carrying a 2.01 ERA through 22 and a third innings this year.

PENN

Last year: 10-27-1, 3-11

This spring: 6-11

New season, new coach for the Quakers. Taking the helm is Leslie King Moore, former coach of George Washington University. For 14 years, King Moore was the starting shortstop of the New Zealand National softball team and served as captain of the squad that qualified for the Olympics in 2000. She was named the 2000 New Zealand Player of the Year and her team won a silver medal at the world championships that same season. It’s definitely more exciting to talk about the coach than the team, which last year posted its 21st straight losing record in Ivy play. Penn has been getting a strong stick from senior Erin O’Brien, who has hit .342 with three home runs and 11 RBI, this spring, but has not been getting much of anything from its pitching staff. Opponents are lighting up the Quaker staff for over seven and half earned runs a game while hitting .328.

DARTMOUTH

Last year: 13-21, 5-9

This spring: 0-5

Senior ace Danica Giugliano, a second-team all-Ivy selection, is coming off an impressive year in which she threw 15 complete games and tallied 100 strikeouts while maintaining a 1.24 ERA. Sophomore centerfielder Jessica Reiten has busted out of the gates, batting at a .438 clip in the Big Green’s first five games.

Another Second Team All-Ivy member, sophomore Alicia Petryk, has moved from third to first base, and in pre-League play has swung for a .400 average.

—Staff writer J. Patrick Coyne can be reached at coyne@fas.harvard.edu.