POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - With the conclusion of the 2013 NCAA Softball season in which Oklahoma defeated Tennessee 2-0 in the championship best-of-three series to earn the Sooners' second program title, the NCAA recently released its final statistical rankings. The Marist softball team finds itself prominently featured in the Division I rankings due to the number eight position of freshman Nicole Cheek in total home runs by first-year players. The team's defense also ranked top ten in the nation for their ability to turn double plays.

The 2013 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, Cheek (Simi Valley, Calif.) put together one of the strongest single seasons in Marist history as she drove in a program-record 52 runs and tied the all-time mark with 15 home runs, while adding 43 runs scored and hitting .348 in the heart of the Red Foxes' batting order. Her 15 longballs ranked 47th overall in Division 1 and eighth overall amongst first-year players in the NCAA. Sierra Romero of Michigan led all freshmen with 23 home runs in 64 games for the Wolverines.

Cheek also ranked 55th in runs batted in per game for a 0.95 average and 103rd in the nation with a .668 slugging percentage.

Senior Danielle Koltz (Chenango Bridge, N.Y.) joined Cheek in the top 100 as her program-record 49 runs scored and subsequent 0.89 runs per game average ranked her 70th in Division 1.

As a team, Marist finished eighth overall with 28 double plays in 56 contests for a 0.50 per game average. Freshman Kyrsten Van Natta was a leading factor in the Red Foxes' success in turning two as she was credited with 16 double plays; either directly or in an assisting role from the shortstop position. Nebraska, a 2013 Women's College World Series competitor, led the nation with 49 double plays in 61 games for a 0.80 per game average.

The Red Foxes also ranked in the top 100, in home runs per game (0.93/gm - 48th), slugging percentage (.437 - 71st), runs per game (4.79/gm - 78th), batting average (.286 - 80th), stolen bases per game (1.13/gm - 81st) and doubles per game (1.21/gm - 96th).

Marist under the leadership of fifth-year head coach Joe Ausanio finished its 2013 season in the NCAA Tournament at the Norman Regional where it fell to the eventual NCAA Champions Oklahoma Sooners in the first game and the Fordham Rams in the second game. That NCAA appearance was the second-ever in program history.