NEW ORLEANS — The Texas State University softball program was selected second in the 2022 Sun Belt Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference announced Tuesday afternoon.
Texas State finished the 2021 season with a 39-14 mark, including winning 17 conference games, and reached the semifinals of the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Championships. The Bobcats went on to earn its fourth NCAA Regional berth in the last five completed seasons when Texas State was appointed to the Austin Regional, where it opened with a 5-1 victory over then-No. 10 Oregon.
Since last season concluded, head coach
Ricci Woodard has added a quartet of transfers in
Anna Jones (LSU),
Claire Ginder (Furman),
Dani Elder (Texas A&M) and
Karsen Pierce (Southern Miss) to pair with returning Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year
Sara Vanderford and All-Sun Belt First-Team selection
Jessica Mullins.
Both Mullins and Vanderford were selected to the NFCA All-Central Second and Third Teams, respectively, as well.
In addition to Mullins and Vanderford, the Bobcats will have a veteran duo behind the plate in the left-handed catching duo of
Caitlyn Rogers and
Cat Crenek. Woodard also returns all her outfield starters —
Hannah Earls,
Piper Randolph, and
Kylie George — who combined to have an 85 percent (45-53) success rate in stolen bases a season ago.
Tori McCann (4-2) and
Brooke Blackwell (1-0) return, too, to join Mullins and Pierce in the pitching circle.
2022 Sun Belt Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1.Louisiana (7) – 97
2.Texas State (2) – 87
3.Troy (1) – 82
4.South Alabama – 74
5.UTA – 49
6.App State – 46
7.Coastal Carolina – 37
8.Georgia Southern – 32
9.ULM – 27
10.Georgia State – 19
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