NEW ORLEANS (2/3/09) The North Texas softball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt Conference preseason poll, announced the league office on Tuesday.
It is the highest preseason ranking for the Mean Green in the three years that the Sun Belt Conference has increased the league to nine teams.
Louisiana-Lafayette has been chosen as the unanimous favorite to win the 2009 Sun Belt Conference softball title after advancing to last year’s Women’s College World Series. The Ragin’ Cajuns tallied 81 points, receiving all nine first-place votes, to edge out Florida Atlantic, which earned 67 points.
FIU’s Kim Rodriguez and ULL’s Ashley Brignac were respectively named Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year.
The poll and team were voted on by the nine Sun Belt head coaches. The top eight teams will advance to the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Championship, hosted this year by North Texas at Lovelace Stadium.
North Texas opens its season on Friday, Feb. 13 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4 pm in the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Tournament. The Mean Green finished 2008 with an overall record of 27-33 and a 9-15 conference mark.
Sun Belt Conference Preseason Softball Coaches Poll
(As voted on by the league’s nine head coaches first place votes in parenthesis)
1. Louisiana-Lafayette (9) 81
2. Florida Atlantic 67
3. Troy 59
4. FIU 53
5. North Texas 44
6. Middle Tennessee 34
7. WKU 33
8. ULM 23
9. South Alabama 11
Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team
Ashley Brignac (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., Pitcher)
Ashlyn Williams (Troy, So., Pitcher)
Lana Bowers (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., Catcher)
Lindsay Antone (WKU, Jr., First Base)
Katie Smith (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., Second Base)
Blair Bodenmiller (Florida Atlantic, Jr., Shortstop)
Rebecca Horesky (WKU, Sr., Third Base)
Kim Rodriguez (FIU, Sr., Outfield)
Karli Hubbard (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., Outfield)
Heidi Johnson (Troy, Sr., Outfield)
Vallie Gaspard (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., Designated Player)
Preseason Player of the Year: Kim Rodriguez (FIU, Sr., Outfield)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Ashley Brignac (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., Pitcher)
