Sam Houston State tabbed by Southland head coaches as co-favorites with UTSA in 2006 league softball race
1/25/2007 1:00:00 AM | Softball
Texas-San Antonio, the winner of the past three regular-season Southland Conference titles and the defending SLC tournament champions, has been tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2007 league softball race by vote of the SLC's head coaches.
Sam Houston State is predicted to finish fourth in the 2007 race. The Bearkats were the league's runner-up in 2005 and third in 2004 but stumbled last year, finishing seventh.
The UTSA Roadrunners, who finished a league-best 22-5 last year and 37-14 overall, earned 96 points in the coaches poll, including seven first-place votes.
Texas State-San Marcos, who finished second in league play last year, finished second in the poll, receiving two first-place votes from the head coaches. Texas-Arlington was picked third, followed by Sam Houston, Northwestern State, Nicholls and McNeese tied for sixth, Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Southeastern Louisiana, and Arkansas State.
The league also announced the coaches' selections for 2007 preseason All-Southland Conference honors. Favorite UTSA led the selections with five.
Sam Houston State placed three players on the preseason All-SLC. All three have been All-Southland selections in both the past two seasons.
Shalayne Blythe, junior right handed pitcher from Port Neches, was a first team selection. Blythe was SLC "Pitcher of the Year" as a freshman and was an honorable mention all-league player in 2006. She has struck out 257 batters while rolling up 26 pitching victories in her first two years as a Bearkat.
Junior shortstop Tanya Hooser of Montgomery and senior outfielder Stephanie Mosley of Houston both are second team selections.
The pair led Sam Houston at the plate last year as Hooser hit .324 and Mosley .298. Mosley has started 132 games in her three years as a Bearkat. Hooser was the team's leader in runs batted in last year with 22.
2007 SOUTHLAND SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Rank Team (First Place Votes) Points
1. Texas-San Antonio (7).............. 96
2. Texas State-San Marcos (2)..... 87
3. Texas Arlington (1).................... 78
4. Sam Houston State................... 63
5. Northwestern State................... 61
T6. Nicholls State (1)........................60
T6. McNeese State...........................60
8. Stephen F. Austin.......................33
9. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi ....... 27
10. Southeastern Louisiana.............23
11. Central Arkansas........................11
2007 SOFTBALL PRESEASON ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Name Class Pos. School
Stevi Simpson............. Sr. 1B UTSA
Brooke Broadhead...... Jr. 2B McNeese State
Leah Peterson.............Sr. 3B Nicholls State
Kat Harrell................... Jr. SS Nicholls State
Jenny Clay.................. Jr. C McNeese State
Kate Jones.................. Jr. OF Texas-Arlington
Christina Allen............. Jr. OF McNeese State
Amy Krueger .............. Sr. OF Texas State-San Marcos
Courtni Anderson........ Sr. DP Texas-Arlington
Amanda Nikolenko...... Jr. P UTSA.
Shalayne Blythe........Jr. P Sam Houston State
SECONDTEAM
Name Class Pos. School
Dee Jay Nelson .......... Sr. 1B Texas-Arlington
Tanya Hooser ........ Jr. 2B Sam Houston State
Margaret Patterson ..... Sr. 3B Northwestern State
Aimee Murray............... Sr. SS UTSA
Catherine Garza ...........Sr. C UTSA
Rachel Phillips............... Sr. OF McNeese State
Kim Chavez ..................Jr. OF UTSA
Stephanie Mosley ....Sr. OF Sam Houston State
Amanda Glenn............. Sr. DP Northwestern State.
Laura Jones ................ Jr. P Texas-Arlington
Ragan Blake ............... Jr. P Texas State-San Marcos
