Kats picked eighth preseason in Southland
1/31/2017 4:35:00 PM | Softball
By: Shelby Salker/SHSU Athletics
HUNTSVILLE – The Southland Conference head coaches and sports information directors picked Sam Houston State softball to finish eighth in both polls for 2017 season on Tuesday.
Sam Houston garnered 61 points from the coaches and 53 points from the SIDs. McNeese is the unanimous favorite to win the conference with 11 first-place votes and 121 points in both polls.
The 2016 season was a roller-coaster ride for Sam Houston as the squad started 7-21 in their first 28 games but finished with 11 wins in 18 Southland Conference outings earning their way into the programs 13th appearance in Southland Conference post-season play.
This year Sam Houston welcomes five freshmen and returns nine letter winners to a squad seeking its first NCAA regional appearance since 2007. The Kats have finished in the top three in the Southland standings three of the last five seasons.
The Bearkats open their home schedule on Wednesday, February 22 when they host UTSA in a 3 p.m. doubleheader. Sam Houston also hosts Texas A&M on Wednesday, March 8 along with Prairie View and Texas Southern in non-conference action.
Reserved seat season tickets cost $50 and include all 18 events at the Bearkat Softball Complex. Doubleheaders are included as one ticket for both games.
General admission season tickets are $30. For those wanting to purchase single-game tickets, those are set to go on sale beginning Wednesday.
Sam Houston's Southland Conference home schedule starts with a series versus Central Arkansas on March 24-25. Other home league series pit the Kats against Stephen F. Austin on March 31 and April 1, and back-to-back weekend series with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Abilene Christian beginning the weekend of April 14.
Coaches Poll (first place votes)
1. McNeese (11) 121
2. Abilene Christian (1) 106
3. Lamar 97
4. Nicholls 90
5. Central Arkansas 84
6. Northwestern State 66
7. Stephen F. Austin 62
8. Sam Houston State 61
9. Southeastern Louisiana 34
10. Houston Baptist 28
11. A&M-Corpus Christi 27
12. Incarnate Word 16
SID Poll (first place votes)
1. McNeese (11) 121
2. Abilene Christian (1) 103
3. Nicholls 100
4. Lamar 91
5. Central Arkansas 79
6. Northwestern State 73
7. Stephen F. Austin 61
8. Sam Houston State 53
9. A&M-Corpus Christi 34
10. Houston Baptist 32
11. Southeastern Louisiana 24
12. Incarnate Word 21
