NORFOLK, Va. -- Coppin State senior Paige Arnold has been selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year and the Eagles were chosen to finish second in the Northern Division in voting by the league's head coaches and sports information directors and announced by the conference on Friday.

Arnold, who was the MEAC Pitcher of the Year in 2010, earned First Team All-MEAC honors for the second straight season after compiling a 16-11 overall record and leading the MEAC with a 1.46 earned run average and 187 strikeouts.

The Eagles, who finished 2011 with an 18-16 overall record and a 9-6 conference record, received one first-place vote and finished with 195 points. Delaware State received 19 first-place votes and earned 290 points as the preseason favorite to win the Northern Division.

Defending champion Bethune-Cookman was the favorite to win the Southern Division after garnering 282 points.

Coppin State returns four starters from last year's team.

Joining Arnold as returning starters are Heather Josker, Tiffani Whaleyand Patrice Williams. Josker hit .308 with 11 runs batted in as a freshman and was second on the team in batting.

Coppin State opens its 2012 season on Feb. 25 with a doubleheader against South Carolina State in Orangeburg, S.C.

The Eagles home opener will be on March 2 against Iona at the Coppin State Field.

1. Delaware State (19) 290 pts

2. Coppin State (1) 195 pts

3. Norfolk State (2) 194 pts

4. Howard (3) 193 pts

5t. Hampton 174 pts

5t. Morgan State (1) 174 pts

7. Maryland Eastern Shore 106 pts

1. Bethune-Cookman (16) 282 pts

2. Florida A&M (10) 264 pts

3t. South Carolina State 175 pts

3t. North Carolina A&T 175 pts

5. Savannah State 167 pts

6. North Carolina Central 139 pts

Paige Arnold, Coppin State

Stephanie Sarris, Delaware State

Kathy Cortez, Norfolk State

Stephanie Martello, Delaware State

Tera Gainer, Florida A&M

Whitney Holland, Norfolk State

Aurelia Gamch, Bethune-Cookman

Hope Fletcher, North Carolina A&T

Jordan Reid, Delaware State

Danielle Wright, Norfolk State

Detavia Kenan, North Carolina A&T

Rachel Carroll, Delaware State