RICHARDSON, Texas –
East Texas Baptist has been picked to win the 2019 American Southwest Conference softball regular season title after a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors, announced by the conference office Tuesday.
The Tigers are coming off their seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Championship after going 33-13 in 2018 and 24-6 in conference play. They received 291 points and 15 out of 26 first place votes.
Mary Hardin-Baylor was voted second with 285 points and nine first place votes after placing third in the league in 2018. They were followed by Concordia Texas (249), UT Dallas (229), Louisiana College (182/1), Belhaven (177), Sul Ross State (151), LeTourneau (130/1), McMurry (110), Ozarks (93), Howard Payne (65) and Hardin-Simmons (55)
Defending ASC champion UT Tyler will not count in the 2019 standings and are not eligible for the ASC or NCAA Championship due to the Patriots reclassifying to NCAA Division II.
In addition to the preseason poll, 36 players were named to the ASC Softball Preseason Watch List by the head coaches. Among the players returning for the 2019 season are 22 all-conference selections, including five first team member and the reigning ASC Player and Freshman of the Year –
Ashley Perez of UT Tyler, and fellow Patriot
Colleen Bentke, the ASC Pitcher of the Year.
Perez, Bentke and UT Tyler’s
Nicole Garcia were named Preseason All-Americans by Fast Pitch News. They join ETBU’s
Morgan Arst and
Mackenzie Anderson as the returning All-ASC First Team selections on the Players to Watch List.
The 2019 softball season is the 21st for ASC softball. Action begins on Friday, February 1 when Hardin-Simmons and McMurry co-host the Abilene Round Robin.
2019 ASC Softball Preseason Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st place votes) |
Pts. |
2018 Record (ASC) |
| 1. |
East Texas Baptist (15) |
291 |
33-13 (24-6) |
| 2. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor (9) |
285 |
29-14 (22-8) |
| 3. |
Concordia Texas |
249 |
25-18 (19-11) |
| 4. |
UT Dallas |
229 |
24-18 (19-11) |
| 5. |
Louisiana College (1) |
182 |
22-18 (19-11) |
| 6. |
Belhaven # |
177 |
26-17 (11-13) |
| 7. |
Sul Ross State |
151 |
18-21 (15-15) |
| 8. |
LeTourneau (1) |
130 |
15-23 (11-19) |
| 9. |
McMurry |
110 |
10-30 (6-24) |
| 10. |
Ozarks |
93 |
10-22 (10-17) |
| 11. |
Howard Payne |
65 |
9-29-2 (6-24) |
| 12. |
Hardin-Simmons |
55 |
1-37 (1-29) |
| -- |
UT Tyler & |
-- |
44-5 (26-1) |
# Eligible for ASC regular season title/ineligible for ASC Championship/NCAA Championship (NCAA Division III Provisional)
& Ineligible for ASC regular season title/ASC Championship/NCAA Championship (NCAA Division II Reclassifying)
2019 ASC Softball Preseason Players to Watch
Players selected by their respective head coach
| Name |
Cl. |
Pos. |
School |
| Bailey Root |
Jr. |
P |
Belhaven |
| Allie Gordon |
Fr. |
3B |
Belhaven |
| Marlee Blackwell * |
Jr. |
OF |
Belhaven |
| Haley Dennett * |
Sr. |
SS |
Concordia Texas |
| Diana Payne |
So. |
OF |
Concordia Texas |
| Simone Langland * |
So. |
P |
Concordia Texas |
| MacKenzie Anderson * |
Sr. |
UT |
East Texas Baptist |
| Sabrina Salts * |
Jr. |
1B |
East Texas Baptist |
| Morgan Arst * |
Jr. |
OF |
East Texas Baptist |
| Taylor Hinojos |
So. |
P |
Hardin-Simmons |
| Karis Hessert |
Fr. |
C |
Hardin-Simmons |
| Kenzee Hessert |
Fr. |
SS |
Hardin-Simmons |
| Macey Mize * |
Sr. |
C |
LeTourneau |
| Haydn Parker |
So. |
1B |
LeTourneau |
| Bailey Richey |
Fr. |
P |
LeTourneau |
| Shelby Bergeron * |
Sr. |
OF |
Louisiana College |
| Briley Johnston * |
So. |
OF |
Louisiana College |
| Samantha Cetta * |
Jr. |
SS/OF |
Louisiana College |
| Hannah Wolfe * |
Jr. |
1B |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
| Emily Bounds * |
Sr. |
C |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
| Cece Darilek * |
Jr. |
P |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
| Rachel Ripley * |
Sr. |
1B |
McMurry |
| Hope Schoeneman |
Jr. |
P/OF |
McMurry |
| Mikayla Krause |
Jr. |
SS/C |
McMurry |
| Paige Lee |
Fr. |
IF |
Ozarks |
| Sierra Jasna |
Fr. |
C/3B |
Ozarks |
| Sydney Key |
Jr. |
C/3B |
Ozarks |
| Gabriela Raimondi * |
Jr. |
SS |
Sul Ross State |
| Jodie Vaughn |
Fr. |
P |
Sul Ross State |
| Anaya Losoya * |
Sr. |
1B |
Sul Ross State |
| Melissa Livermore * |
Sr. |
OF |
UT Dallas |
| Ravin Wilson * |
Sr. |
SS |
UT Dallas |
| Hope Griffith * |
Sr. |
3B/2B |
UT Dallas |
| Colleen Bentke * |
Sr. |
P |
UT Tyler |
| Ashley Perez * |
So. |
C |
UT Tyler |
| Nicole Garcia * |
Sr. |
OF |
UT Tyler |
*2018 All-Conference
|