Islanders Softball Picked Second in Southland Conference Preseason Poll
CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team was selected to finish second in the 2012 Southland Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced on Thursday afternoon. The defending Southland Conference regular-season champions return two players selected on the all-conference teams.
Senior Hannah Schwarz, returns as a First Team selection for the second straight year after starting 53-of-54 of the Islanders games last season. She had the highest batting average on the team at .358 and was third in the conference. She also had the second most hits with 63 and was third in runs scored with 37 during the season. The outfielder was third on the team with eight stolen bases after going 8-for-15 and had a team-high 176 at-bats as the Islanders primary leadoff hitter during the season. Schwarz was named to the Capital One Academic All-America team and honored with the Southland Conference Steve McCarty Citizenship Award.
Senior Vianca Pesina returns as a Second Team selection after going 12-5 in the circle with a 2.05 ERA last season, which was sixth best in the conference. She pitched 99 innings while allowing just 29 earned runs and striking out 39 batters. Her season best was eight innings against UTSA and she struck out a season-high six hitters at Central Arkansas. Pesina finished second on the team with 10 complete games.
After winning the regular-season conference title last season, the Islanders were selected to finish second in the Preseason Coaches' poll behind Texas State, who won the Southland Conference tournament. The Islanders received five first-place votes and a total of 87 points. In the Preseason Sports Information Director's poll the Islanders were tabbed third behind Texas State and UT Arlington with four first-place votes and a total of 80 points.
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi opens the 2012 season on Friday, Feb. 10, at the Hilton Houston Plaza Classic in Houston, Texas. The Islanders will take on Houston, Oklahoma State and North Texas over the three-day event.
2012 All-Southland Conference Preseason Softball Teams
|
First Team |
|
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
University |
Class |
Hometown |
|
1B |
Haley Lemons* |
Texas State |
Jr. |
Rockwall, Texas |
|
2B |
Cali Burke* |
Northwestern State |
So. |
Mesquite, Texas |
|
3B |
Ashley Ray* |
Nicholls State |
Sr. |
Lafayette, La. |
|
SS |
Megan Gaspard |
Nicholls State |
Sr. |
Coteau, La. |
|
C |
Melanie Bryant* |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Hernando, Miss. |
|
UT |
Kasey Britt* |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Florence, Miss. |
|
DP |
Katie McGregor* |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Lake Jackson, Texas |
|
OF |
Hannah Schwarz* |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Kerrville, Texas |
|
OF |
Claire Terracina* |
McNeese State |
Sr. |
Lake Charles, La. |
|
OF |
Kelsey Nichols* |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Jr. |
Alvin, Texas |
|
P |
Callie Collins* |
UT Arlington |
So. |
Rusk, Texas |
|
P |
Anne Marie Taylor* |
Texas State |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second Team |
|
|
|
|
|
1B |
Caitlyn Ivy* |
UTSA |
Sr. |
Huntington, Texas |
|
2B |
Anna Hernandez* |
Texas State |
Jr. |
Buda, Texas |
|
3B |
Taylor Zink |
UT Arlington |
So. |
Highlands, Texas |
|
SS |
Courtney Enocksen |
UT Arlington |
Sr. |
Kingwood, Texas |
|
C |
Molly Fichtner* |
UTSA |
So. |
Houston, Texas |
|
UT |
Chandler Hall* |
Texas State |
Sr. |
Baytown, Texas |
|
DP |
MyKeisha Young* |
McNeese State |
So. |
Brusly, La. |
|
OF |
Tori Benavidez* |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Midlothian, Texas |
|
OF |
Charne Office* |
UT Arlington |
Sr. |
Seabrook, Texas |
|
OF |
Nicole Beals |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Goodyear, Ariz. |
|
P |
Kelee Grimes* |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Pineville, La. |
|
P |
Vianca Pesina* |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
*Returning all-conference selection
2012 Preseason Southland Softball Polls
|
Coaches Poll |
|
Sports Information Directors |
|
|
1. Texas State (4) |
92 |
1. Texas State (6) |
93 |
|
2. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (5) |
87 |
2. UT Arlington (1) |
88 |
|
3. UT Arlington (1) |
82 |
3. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (4) |
80 |
|
4. McNeese State |
75 |
4. McNeese State |
69 |
|
5. UTSA |
68 |
5. UTSA |
67 |
|
6. Northwestern State (1) |
58 |
6. Northwestern State |
56 |
|
7. Sam Houston State |
42 |
7. Central Arkansas |
45 |
|
8. Central Arkansas |
40 |
8. Sam Houston State |
39 |
|
9. Stephen F. Austin |
24 |
9. Southeastern Louisiana |
32 |
|
10. Southeastern Louisiana |
21 |
10. Stephen F. Austin |
23 |
|
11. Nicholls State |
17 |
11. Nicholls State |
13 |
