Colonels Chosen to Win 2019 Southland Softball Season
FRISCO,
Texas – Nicholls has been selected as the Southland Conference favorites for the 2019 season following a vote from conference head coaches and sports information directors. The preseason poll was announced Wednesday afternoon by the league.
The Colonels captured 18 total first-place votes and 238 points to finish atop the poll. The preseason poll is voted on by head coaches and SIDs from each Southland softball school. Voting for one’s own team is not permitted.
Nicholls head coach Angel Santiago and his team will look to repeat last season’s accomplishments after finishing with a 40-15 overall record and capturing the 2018 regular-season championship. Nicholls enters the season after placing eight returners onto the preseason all-conference squads, six of who found spots on the first team. The Colonels are on pace to complete a successful year as they also return three Southland Conference individual postseason award winners from 2018 including Pitcher of the Year Megan Landry, Newcomer of the Year Kali Clement and Freshman of the Year Jewel Lara.
McNeese comes in second with 224 points and six first-place votes. The Cowgirls concluded their 2018 campaign with a Southland Conference Tournament championship and trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament before falling in the second round to No. 18 Baylor. McNeese, led by head coach James Landreneau, has won three consecutive conference tournament titles dating back to the 2016 season. The Cowgirls head into their 2019 slate with two preseason first team all-conference selections and one second team honoree.
Taking the third-place spot is Central Arkansas with 164 points. The Bears closed out their 2018 campaign with a 16-11 record in Southland play and an appearance in the conference tournament. UCA also hosted the opening round of the NISC Regional Tournament where they advanced to the second round of tournament play. Kaylyn Shepherd and Morgan Felts will look to lead Central Arkansas after being named preseason all-conference selections.
Southeastern Louisiana was voted fourth by a slim one-point margin earning 163 points. The Lady Lions concluded the 2018 season second in the conference for runs scored (295) and first in the league with 175 stolen bases. Madison Watson and Ali McCoy mark SLU’s pair of preseason all-conference selections. The duo helped boost their squad to 18-9 conference record last season that progressed into a deep run to the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals.
Stephen F. Austin (158), Northwestern State (156), Sam Houston State (145) and Abilene Christian (119) were chosen to occupy the fifth through eighth-place positions.
Lamar received 80 points for ninth place, while Incarnate Word finished in 10th with 61 points. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was voted to the 11th-place position with 40 points. Rounding out the preseason poll was Houston Baptist with 36 points.
The 2019 season will begin Thursday, Feb. 7 with Southeastern Louisiana playing host to San Jose State in a 5 p.m. CT start. McNeese will also play that same day with a 6 p.m. first pitch against Samford in Lake Charles, La. Nine of the remaining 10 league teams will open their seasons the following day, Saturday, Feb. 8.
2019’s Southland Conference Tournament is set for Natchitoches, La., at Lady Demon Diamond on the Northwestern State campus. Tournament play will take place May 7-10 with an eight-team field.
Coaches and SIDs Poll (first place votes)
| 1. |
Nicholls (18) |
238 |
| 2. |
McNeese (6) |
224 |
| 3. |
Central Arkansas |
164 |
| 4. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
163 |
| 5. |
Stephen F. Austin |
158 |
| 6. |
Northwestern State |
156 |
| 7. |
Sam Houston State |
145 |
| 8. |
Abilene Christian |
119 |
| 9. |
Lamar |
80 |
| 10. |
UIW |
61 |
| 11. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
40 |
| 12. |
Houston Baptist |
36 |