ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend softball team was voted to finish first in the 2023 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Coaches Poll, while senior catcher Cami McNany (Emlenton, PA/Allegheny-Clarion Valley) and junior pitcher Kayla Lindberg (Austinburg, OH/Geneva) were chosen Preseason Players of the Year.

The Lions are projected to win their third straight conference title this season. Behrend finished 27-15 overall and 14-2 in AMCC play, defeating Penn State Altoona in the AMCC Championships.

McNany, the AMCC Preseason Player of the Year, was an AMCC First Team All-Conference choice a year ago, while also being named to the All-Region Third Team. In 36 games, McNany paced the team with 45 hits, 42 RBIs and 11 doubles. She was ranked 13th in NCAA Division III statistics with 1.41 RBIs per game. She only struck out three times in 123 plate appearances, while posting a .534 slugging percentage and a .970 fielding percentage.

Kayla Lindberg (Austinburg, OH/Geneva) has been selected as the AMCC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Lindberg was an AMCC Third Team All-Conference selection in 2022. She tied for second in the AMCC with six wins (6-1) and ranked fourth with a 1.75 ERA, only allowing 10 earned runs in eight appearances. Lindberg completed five games and had two shut-out victories. She struck out 28 batters, good enough for seventh in the AMCC. Overall, she started 10 games and had an 8-4 record to go with 46 K's.

Behrend opens the season over Spring Break in Florida, before hosting Geneva for a non-conference doubleheader on March 21.