ETBU softball ranked second in ASC preseason poll
By Staff Reports
he Tigers, who will be defending their second division championship in the last three seasons and are the reigning conference champions in the ASC, received 127 points and five first-place votes in the poll. ETBU finished last season at 36-9 and won the program’s first ASC championship since the last of five straight titles in 2004.
UT Tyler (40-13 in 2011) received 140 points and 16 first-place votes. The Patriots finished second to ETBU in both the ASC East Division and ASC Tournament last season but won the NCAA West Regional to advance to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament for the second time in program history.
Mississippi College (33-15), which advanced to both the ASC and NCAA tournaments last season, was picked third with 109 points. Louisiana College (30-12) was fourth with 79, followed by LeTourneau with 63 and Texas-Dallas with 45. Ozarks rounded out the East poll with 25 points.
Conference newcomer Centenary is ineligible for postseason play while transitioning from Division I. The Ladies will be playing an ASC schedule this season before moving over to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference next year.
UT Tyler junior Joey Cronin and Mississippi College sophomore Brooke Smitherman were named Co-Preseason Player of the Year in the East. Mississippi College senior Kim Mason was named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Defending ASC West champion Mary Hardin-Baylor was picked to repeat on the West side, followed by Hardin-Simmons and Concordia Texas. Howard Payne was fourth, followed by Texas Lutheran, Schreiner and Sul Ross State.
ETBU began preseason workouts on Monday and will open the season on Feb. 17 against Millsaps at Taylor Field.