Southland Conference coaches and sports information directors unanimously predicted McNeese State will defend its conference softball championship, the league office announced Tuesday.
The Cowgirls, who finished 43-14 last season and advanced to the Baton Rouge regional, received 22 of a possible 24 first-place votes in each poll.
Abilene Christian received the other two — both from McNeese staffers since coaches and sports information directors were not allowed to vote for their own team. It was the first time since 2005 a team received every possible first-place vote in each poll.
Headlined by reigning, two-time Southland Player of the Year Erika Piancastelli, the Cowgirls return six starters and 14 letterwinners from last season’s team. Transfers Baylee Corbello (LSU) and Carleigh Chaumont (Western Kentucky) joined the program in the offseason, too, in James Landreneau’s first season as head coach.
Piancastelli was also named Tuesday to D1SoftballNews.com’s Player of the Year Watch List, which will be narrowed to 25 players in April and presented at the conclusion of the Women’s College World Series.
The team’s leader in batting average, slugging percentage, home runs, on-base percentage and hits last season, Piancastelli was named the No. 7 college hitter in the country by Fastpitch News last week.
That publication also tabbed Piancastelli, already the program’s all-time leader in home runs, as a preseason All-American.
McNeese opens its season Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. against Southern Miss at Cowgirl Diamond.
Both preseason polls are listed below:
Coaches Poll (first place votes)
|
1. |
McNeese (11) |
121 |
|
2. |
Abilene Christian (1) |
106 |
|
3. |
Lamar |
97 |
|
4. |
Nicholls |
90 |
|
5. |
Central Arkansas |
84 |
|
6. |
Northwestern State |
66 |
|
7. |
Stephen F. Austin |
62 |
|
8. |
Sam Houston State |
61 |
|
9. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
34 |
|
10. |
Houston Baptist |
28 |
|
11. |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
27 |
|
12. |
Incarnate Word |
16 |
SID Poll (first place votes)
|
1. |
McNeese (11) |
121 |
|
2. |
Abilene Christian (1) |
103 |
|
3. |
Nicholls |
100 |
|
4. |
Lamar |
91 |
|
5. |
Central Arkansas |
79 |
|
6. |
Northwestern State |
73 |
|
7. |
Stephen F. Austin |
61 |
|
8. |
Sam Houston State |
53 |
|
9. |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
34 |
|
10. |
Houston Baptist |
32 |
|
11. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
24 |
|
12. |
Incarnate Word |
21 |
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