Bobcats picked second in Sun Belt preseason poll
Texas State received 88 points in the Sun Belt preseason coaches poll, finishing in second place behind Louisiana, the conference announced Friday.
The Bobcats are coming off a 2018 campaign in which the team finished 43-16 overall, 18-5 in league play, won the Sun Belt regular season and tournament championship and made an appearance in the Los Angeles regional of the NCAA Tournament.
“It is a great honor to be picked as one of the top teams in this tough conference, but we know the only poll that matters is the last one that comes out,” head coach Ricci Woodard said. “This group of young ladies is working very hard right now to defend the title last year’s team fought to win, and I know when they get the chance to compete against their Sun Belt competitors, they will be ready for the challenge.”
Junior catcher Haleigh Davis and junior infielder Hailey MacKay each played a major role in the maroon and gold’s success and both players were rewarded with spots on the preseason All-Sun Belt squad. Davis batted .326 at the plate and racked up six home runs last year. MacKay went for .341 and 12 homers. Texas State was one of just five schools with multiple players on the All-Sun Belt team.
The Bobcats went 6-1-1 during its fall schedule and will start the spring on Thursday in the 2019 Bobcat Classic against UTSA at 6 p.m. inside Bobcat Softball Stadium.
2019 Conference Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Louisiana (8) – 98 pts
2. Texas State (1) – 88 pts
3. Troy (1) – 82 pts
4. UTA – 62 pts
5. Georgia State – 59 pts
6. South Alabama – 57 pts
7. Georgia Southern – 39 pts
t-8. Coastal Carolina – 27 pts
t-8. ULM – 27 pts
10. Appalachian State – 11 pts
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Summer Ellyson, Louisiana (Jr., P, Lafayette, La.)
Annie Willis, Troy (So., P, Huntsville, Ala.)
Lexie Comeaux, Louisiana (Sr., C, Tomball, Texas)
Reagan Wright, UTA (Jr., C, Mansfield, Texas)
Haleigh Davis, Texas State (Jr., C, Houston, Texas)
Hailey MacKay, Texas State (Jr., 1B, Leander, Texas)
Katie Webb, Troy (Jr., 1B, Salem, Ala.)
Kristin Hawkins, Georgia State (Sr., 2B, Dacula, Ga.)
Kara Gremillion, Louisiana (Sr., 3B, Gonzales, La.)
Alissa Dalton, Louisiana (Jr., SS, Cypress, Texas)
Jayden Mount, ULM (Jr., SS, Longview, Texas)
Courtney Dean, Coastal Carolina (So., OF, Indian Trail, N.C.)
Sydney McKay, ULM (Sr., OF, Pearland, Texas)
Laura Curry, UTA (Sr., OF, Temecula, Calif.)
Jenny Dodd, Appalachian State (Sr., DP/C, Mocksville, N.C.)
Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year
Alissa Dalton, Louisiana (Jr., SS, Cypress, Texas)
Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Summer Ellyson, Louisiana (Jr., P, Lafayette, La.)
