The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Softball picked second in Big 12 Conference preseason coaches’ poll
01.10.2019 | Softball
Texas has been selected among the league’s preseason top three for nine straight seasons
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas softball program has been tabbed to finish second in the annual Big 12 Conference preseason coaches poll released on Thursday.
Defending league champion Oklahoma earned the top spot for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons after receiving six of the seven possible first-place votes (coaches couldn't vote for their own team) and 36 total points. Texas was second with 29 points, while Baylor picked up the remaining first-place vote to hold down third spot with 26 points. Oklahoma State (23 points), Texas Tech (15 points), Iowa State (12 points) and Kansas (six points) rounded out positions four through seven in the preseason league standings.
UT has now been picked to finish among the Big 12 Conference's top three teams for nine consecutive seasons. Texas is a four-time regular-season league champion (2002, 2003, 2006 & 2010), which ranks second-most among the seven league schools. In each of the four years that the Horns secured the conference title, UT was not the coaches' preseason favorite to win the crown. In 2002 the Longhorns were chosen third behind Nebraska and Oklahoma, while in 2003, UT was voted second behind the Cornhuskers. Texas trailed only Texas A&M in the 2006 preseason poll and was picked fifth before eventually winning the 2010 Big 12 Championship.
UT is returning nine players from last season that earned time in at least 50 games (eight of those started at least 38 match-ups) and 13 total letter winners that combined to total 84% of the runs, 81% of the hits, 71% of the doubles, 80% of the HR's, 77% of the RBIs, 86% of the walks, 92% of the stolen bases and 42% of the team's pitching victories and strikeouts.
Included among those returnees are 2018 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American Janae Jefferson (sophomore second baseman - .392 avg., 30 runs, 74 hits, 11 doubles, 11 stolen bases, 24 RBIs), and NFCA All-Central Region standouts Kaitlyn Washington (junior outfielder - .359 avg., 56 hits, 21 runs, 13 doubles, three HR's, 20 RBIs), Brooke Bolinger (senior pitcher – 13-7 record, 2.20 ERA, 19 starts, eight complete games, four shutouts, 117.2 IP, 123 K's) and Taylor Ellsworth (junior catcher – 59 starts, 38 hits, 14 extra-base hits, five HR's, 29 walks, 22 RBIs).
The Longhorns have also recently added standout Oregon transfers Miranda Elish (junior pitcher – 2018 NFCA All-American that went 25-2 last season from the circle), Lauren Burke (sophomore utility – 2018 Pac-12 All-Freshman after batting .351), Shannon Rhodes (junior outfielder – 2018 NFCA All-Pacific Region and career .342 hitter) and Mary Iakopo (sophomore catcher – 2018 Pac-12 Second Team and Top 25 finalist for NFCA National Freshman of the Year) for the upcoming 2019 campaign.
To purchase Texas softball season tickets today for as low as $59, call 512-471-3333 or order online at TexasSports.com.
2019 BIG 12 PRESEASON SOFTBALL POLL
Rank Team Points
1. Oklahoma (6)* 36
2. TEXAS 29
3. Baylor (1) 26
4. Oklahoma State 23
5. Texas Tech 15
6. Iowa State 12
7. Kansas 6
* Unanimous
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team
