NEW ORLEANS – The Texas State softball team was picked second in the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll as announced by the league on Friday morning.

The defending regular season and conference tournament champion Bobcats accumulated 88 points, including one first-place vote, in the poll. Louisiana garnered eight first place votes and 98 total points to lead all conference teams. Troy collected the final first-place nod and was selected third with 82 points.

"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 complete against their Sun Belt competitors, they will be ready for the challenge."

UT Arlington (62 points) tabbed fourth, while Georgia State (59 points) and South Alabama (57 points) earned fifth and sixth place distinctions, respectively. Georgia Southern (39 points) slid into seventh. Coastal Carolina (27 points) and ULM (27 points) tied for eighth, leaving Appalachian State (11 points) at No. 10.

The preseason all-conference team was also announced Friday. Junior catcher Haleigh Davis and junior infielder Hailey MacKay each earned a spot on the 15-athlete team. Texas State was one of five schools to have multiple players added to the team. Louisiana led the conference with four selections to the preseason team, including preseason pitcher of the year Summer Ellyson and preseason player of the year Alissa Dalton. Troy, ULM and UTA all had two players on the list.

Texas State finished the 2018 campaign with a record of 43-16 (21-4 Sun Belt) and claimed the program's first Sun Belt regular season and tournament crown. The club eclipsed the 40-win mark for the sixth time under the guidance of Coach Woodard and was rewarded with an appearance in the 2018 NCAA Los Angeles Regional. TXST has advanced to the regional round in three-consecutive seasons and ninth time overall.

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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.)

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