Courtesy of Conference USA
IRVING, Texas – FIU and UAB have been selected as the Conference USA softball favorites after the two tied for the most first-place votes with five apiece, as selected by the league’s 12 head coaches. UTSA senior infielder Megan Low was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year, while Florida Atlantic senior Samantha Messer was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The Blazers have 15 returners from last season’s squad that finished second in C-USA and will be led by junior Caitlin Attfield, who landed on the preseason team. The infielder broke UAB’s single-season records for batting average (.425), hits (88), total bases (120), on-base percentage (.473) and assists (140) last year to earn C-USA Second Team honors. The Panthers tied UAB with five first-place votes and are represented on the preseason squad by infielder Stephanie Texeira. The 2014 Freshman of the Year boasted a .408 average with 62 hits and 11 home runs.
Florida Atlantic is tipped for third by the coaches, with a deep pitching rotation highlighted by Messer. The ace, which has improved her ERA by one run each season, is coming off a 2014 campaign where she finished 15-8 with a 1.45 ERA and 85 strikeouts. Catcher Mickey Bell and outfielder Christina Martinez were also preseason selections for the Owls. Tying Florida Atlantic for the most selections was Marshall with three, as outfielders Kaelynn Green and Morgan Zerkle joined infielder Shaelynn Braxton on the preseason squad.
UTSA’s Low will look to pick up from her outstanding 2014 crusade where the offensive juggernaut led the league in home runs (22), total bases (137) and slugging percentage (.901). League newcomer WKU is coming off a 33-win season and boasts two preseason honorees in pitcher Miranda Kramer and catcher Dani Pugh. Kramer, a transfer from IPFW, was the Summit League Pitcher of the Year in 2014 after racking up 20 wins to go with a 1.93 ERA.
2015 C-USA Softball Preseason Team
P – Lexi Betancourt, Charlotte, Sr.
P – Samantha Messer, Florida Atlantic, Sr.
P – Miranda Kramer, WKU, Sr.
C – Jackie Kleinsmith, Charlotte, Sr.
C – Mickey Bell, Florida Atlantic, Jr.
C – Dani Pugh, WKU, Sr.
IF – Stephanie Texeira, FIU, So.
IF – Shaelynn Braxton, Marshall, Jr.
IF – Dani Hoff, North Texas, Sr.
IF – Caitlin Attfield, UAB, Jr.
IF – Megan Low, UTSA, Sr.
OF – Christina Martinez, Florida Atlantic, Jr.
OF – Kaelynn Greene, Marshall, Jr.
OF – Morgan Zerkle, Marshall, So.
OF – Ashley Eldridge, UTEP, Sr.
DP/UT – Spencer Ferrell, North Texas, Jr.
Preseason Player of the Year
Megan Low, UTSA, Sr.
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Samantha Messer, Florida Atlantic, Sr.
Preseason Rankings
T-1. FIU (5)
T-1. UAB (5)
3. Florida Atlantic (1)
4. Marshall (1)
5. WKU
6. North Texas
7. UTSA
8. Charlotte
9. UTEP
10. Southern Miss
11. Louisiana Tech
12. Middle Tennessee
