The LaGrange softball team finished third in the USA South preseason coaches poll as announced by the conference office.
The Panthers finished 2015 with a 25-16 record, won their first USA South Tournament championship, and made their fourth NCAA Division III national tournament appearance.
Coach Jennifer Claybrook, starting her 14th year, welcomes back 18 returners and adds 16 newcomers for the 2016 season.
Senior first baseman/pitcher Dani Gravett was on the USA South All-Conference honorable mention team last season. She led the team in batting with a .386 average, while hitting six home runs and driving in 23 runs. On the mound, Gravett was 9-1 with a 3.46 ERA. Junior catcher Alison Jiles was an All-Conference first team selection last season after batting .300 with three home runs and 23 RBIs. Senior Kalin Oglesby batted .323 and was named to the NCAA Atlanta Regional All-Tournament team, while making just four errors in 151 chances at shortstop.
Averett, the defending USA South regular season champions, was picked to win the conference title for the upcoming season in the poll. The Cougars received nine of 13 first place votes and 139 points as head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.
William Peace finished second in the voting with 119 points and one first place vote. The Panthers were close behind in third with 118 points and the final three first place votes. Placing fourth in the poll with 111 points was Piedmont College followed by Ferrum College in fifth with 103 points. Greensboro College ranked sixth with 78 points and Huntingdon College was seventh with 75 points to round out the top-half of the poll.
The softball regular season gets underway Saturday, Feb. 6 as Maryville travels to Birmingham Southern. The Panthers open their season, Thursday, Feb. 18 at Judson (Ala.).
The 2016 USA South Softball Tournament will be played April 15-17 at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex as a part of the USA South Spring Sports Festival in Rocky Mount, N.C.
|
2016 USA South Softball Preseason Coaches Poll |
||
|
Rank |
Institution (1st Place Votes) |
Pts. |
|
1. |
Averett (9) |
139 |
|
2. |
William Peace (1) |
119 |
|
3. |
LaGrange (3) |
118 |
|
4. |
Piedmont |
111 |
|
5. |
Ferrum |
103 |
|
6. |
Greensboro |
78 |
|
7. |
Huntingdon |
75 |
|
8. |
N.C. Wesleyan |
69 |
|
9. |
Meredith |
67 |
|
10. |
Methodist |
54 |
|
11. |
Maryville |
40 |
|
12. |
Covenant |
29 |
|
13. |
Mary Baldwin |
12 |
