Photo by: Southland Conference
Softball picked 4th in preseason SLC poll
2/5/2021 10:00:00 AM | Softball
FRISCO — The Sam Houston softball team has been picked to finish fourth in the preseason Southland Conference poll, the league announced Friday.
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The Bearkats, who won the conference regular season and tournament championships in 2019, received one first-place vote for a total of 172 points. Stephen F. Austin is the favorite to win the SLC with 17 first-place votes for 235 points.
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McNeese is picked second with 217 points and four first-place votes, and Southeastern Louisiana is third with 183 points. Central Arkansas (162 points) and Northwestern State (156) each received one first-place vote and were selected to finish fifth and sixth, respectively.
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Nicholls (131) is seventh, Lamar (86) eighth, Abilene Christian (82) ninth, Houston Baptist (81) 10th, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (47) 11th and Incarnate Word (32) 12th.
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The Bearkats return 12 players who started or saw action last season before the coronavirus pandemic ended the season early including seniors Megan McDonald and Brooke Malia who were named to the preseason All-Southland Conference first team and second team, respectively, Thursday.
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Sam Houston opens the 2021 season against Colorado State at the Texas Tournament Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. The Kats will play their home opener at 4 p.m. Feb. 19 against No. 2 Oklahoma at the Bearkat Classic.
SLC Preseason Poll
School (first place votes)
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The Bearkats, who won the conference regular season and tournament championships in 2019, received one first-place vote for a total of 172 points. Stephen F. Austin is the favorite to win the SLC with 17 first-place votes for 235 points.
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McNeese is picked second with 217 points and four first-place votes, and Southeastern Louisiana is third with 183 points. Central Arkansas (162 points) and Northwestern State (156) each received one first-place vote and were selected to finish fifth and sixth, respectively.
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Nicholls (131) is seventh, Lamar (86) eighth, Abilene Christian (82) ninth, Houston Baptist (81) 10th, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (47) 11th and Incarnate Word (32) 12th.
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The Bearkats return 12 players who started or saw action last season before the coronavirus pandemic ended the season early including seniors Megan McDonald and Brooke Malia who were named to the preseason All-Southland Conference first team and second team, respectively, Thursday.
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Sam Houston opens the 2021 season against Colorado State at the Texas Tournament Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. The Kats will play their home opener at 4 p.m. Feb. 19 against No. 2 Oklahoma at the Bearkat Classic.
SLC Preseason Poll
School (first place votes)
| 1. | Stephen F. Austin (17) | 235 |
| 2. | McNeese (4) | 217 |
| 3. | Southeastern Louisiana | 183 |
| 4. | Sam Houston (1) | 172 |
| 5. | Central Arkansas (1) | 162 |
| 6. | Northwestern State (1) | 156 |
| 7. | Nicholls | 131 |
| 8. | Lamar | 86 |
| 9. | Abilene Christian | 82 |
| 10. | Houston Baptist | 81 |
| 11. | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 47 |
| 12. | UIW | 32 |
Players Mentioned
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