McNeese Unanimous Favorite for 2017 Southland Title
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas - McNeese's softball dominance is expected to continue, according to both the Southland Conference's head coaches and sports information directors. The league announced the results of the preseason poll Tuesday.
Coming off a historic 43-14 2016 season, the Cowgirls garnered all 121 possible points in the coaches' poll and the SID poll. This is the first time since 2005 that a team has swept every first place vote in both polls (coaches cannot vote for their own team).
McNeese enters 2017 as defending regular-season and conference tournament champions.
Abilene Christian is tabbed to finish second in both polls, receiving 106 points in the coaches' poll and 103 in the SIDs. The Wildcats return three all-conference selections from last year in junior shortstop Peyton Hedrick, senior outfielder Taylor Brown and junior pitcher Hannah Null. The team claimed third place a year ago after going 19-8 in league play.
Lamar is picked to finish third in the coaches' poll and fourth in the SID's while Nicholls claimed similar predicted finishes but in reverse for the two polls. The next four spots mimicked one another in the two polls with Central Arkansas tabbed to finish fifth, Northwestern State sixth, Stephen F. Austin seventh and Sam Houston State eighth. Southeastern Louisiana took ninth in the coaches' poll and 11th in the SID's poll as the coaches expect Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to finish 11th and the SIDs having the team at ninth. Houston Baptist and UIW were picked to finish 10th and 12th in both polls, respectively.
Back-to-back Southland Conference Player of the Year and second-team All-American Erika Piancastelli, now a junior, is the headline player for the Cowgirls. Including Piancastelli, McNeese return all five of their all-conference picks from last year's team - the first Southland squad to win the regular season title and tournament championship since 2012.
The Cowgirls welcome seven freshmen along with two transfers in junior utility player Carleigh Chaumont from Western Kentucky and senior pitcher Baylee Corbello from LSU.
UCA is the first Southland school to begin game action when they travel to play at South Alabama on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 5 p.m. CT. in Mobile, Ala. McNeese will toss its first pitch shortly after at 6 p.m. that same day, hosting Southern Mississippi.
Note: Abilene Christian and UIW are ineligible for postseason play until the 2017-18 year.
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 |