SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Chattanooga has been tabbed the favorite to claim the 2016 Southern Conference softball crown, as voted on by all seven of the league’s coaches. Furman shortstop Sieara Bishop and UNCG catcher Lindsay Thomas nabbed co-preseason player of the year honors, while Paladin sophomore Lindsey Bert was bestowed with preseason pitcher of the year distinction.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players in the balloting.
The Mocs, who will be pursuing their third straight SoCon title this season, collected four first-place votes and 34 points to take the top spot in the poll. UTC second baseman Criket Blanco represents the Mocs on the preseason All-SoCon first team, while three of her teammates grabbed spots on the preseason all-conference second team.
Samford garnered two first-place votes and totaled 31 points to check in second in the poll, only three points behind UTC. The Bulldogs finished 33-22 (11-7 SoCon) last season and boast a league-high eight preseason all-conference representatives. Four Bulldogs – pitcher Mollie Hanson, first baseman Caitlin Bice and outfielders Megan Dowdy and Caroline Wilder – were named preseason first-teamers. Wilder made it in the designated player slot. Outfielder Shelby Maze, who was named the league’s freshman of the year in 2015, was selected to the preseason All-SoCon second team.
Furman earned the remaining first-place vote and totaled 25 points to come in third in the poll. The Paladins will look to improve on a 2015 campaign that saw them post a record of 31-25 (10-8 SoCon). Bishop, the SoCon’s reigning player of the year, appears on the first team, while Bert was named to the preseason all-conference first team as a pitcher and grabbed a spot on the second team in the utility slot.
Mercer checks in right behind the Paladins at fifth with 24 points. The Bears will look to build on a runner-up finish in the SoCon tournament this past season. Outfield Taylor Miller was named to the preseason All-SoCon first team, and first baseman Caroline Taylor and outfielder Meghan Rud represent Mercer on the preseason second team.
UNCG, Western Carolina and ETSU round out the poll with 15 points, 11 points and seven points, respectively. The Spartans earned a league-high five preseason all-first team selections, three of whom were first-team All-SoCon picks in 2015. The Catamounts had two players named to the preseason second team.
Each preseason all-conference team had an additional spot due to ties in the voting.
The 2016 softball season begins on Thursday when UNCG travels to Jacksonville for a 5:30 p.m. first pitch. The remaining six league teams will open up on Friday.
Preseason Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Chattanooga (4) 34
2. Samford (2) 31
3. Furman (1) 25
4. Mercer 24
5. UNCG 15
6. Western Carolina 11
7. ETSU 7
Preseason Player of the Year (tie)
Sieara Bishop, Furman, Sr., SS
Lindsay Thomas, UNCG, Sr., C
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Lindsey Bert, Furman, So.
Preseason First-Team All-SoCon
P Lindsey Bert, Furman, So.
P Mollie Hanson, Samford, R-Sr.
C Lindsay Thomas, UNCG, Sr.
1B Tory Wright, UNCG, Jr.
1B Caitlin Bice, Samford, Sr.
2B Criket Blanco, Chattanooga, Sr.
3B Danielle Vega, UNCG, Sr.
SS Sieara Bishop, Furman, Sr.
OF Taylor Miller, Mercer, Jr.
OF Allison Geiner, UNCG, Sr.
OF Megan Dowdy, Samford, Sr.
DP Caroline Wilder, Samford, Sr.
UT Nicole Thomas, UNCG, Sr.
Preseason Second-Team All-SoCon
P Cori Jennings, Chattanooga, So.
P Taylor Sigmon, Western Carolina, Sr.
C Abby Sweeney, Samford, Jr.
1B Caroline Taylor, Mercer, Jr.
2B Abbie Miranda, Samford, Jr.
3B Callie Brister, Samford, Sr.
SS Alyssa Taylor, Chattanooga, Sr.
OF Meghan Rud, Mercer, So.
OF Shelby Maze, Samford, So.
OF Sam Taylor, Chattanooga, Sr.
OF Courtney Price, Western Carolina, Jr.
DP Elise Smith, Furman, Jr.
UT Lindsey Bert, Furman, So.
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