The next launch data was issued by the Massive West Convention and data and photographs courtesy of the Massive West Convention…
Irvine, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton has been chosen as the highest crew within the Massive West heading into the 2024 season, as voted by the league’s 10 head coaches.
The Titans (30-21, 20-7 BW) earned 77 factors accompanied by six first-place votes within the polling to assert the highest spot within the preseason ballot for the second consecutive season.
Coaches within the league additionally voted on an 11-person Preseason All-Massive West crew. Cal State Fullerton claimed two spots on the preseason crew with the pairing of senior outfielder Megan Delgadillo and junior pitcher Haley Rainey incomes the honors.
Delgadillo began 20 video games for the Titans and produced a .368 hitting proportion whereas accumulating 24 hits and 4 RBI in 2023. Rainey recorded 9 wins within the circle and notched 87 strikeouts throughout 105 innings pitched.
2023 Massive West common season champion Lengthy Seaside State(31-23, 21-6 BW) was separated from Cal State Fullerton by simply two factors, (75 factors, 4 first-place votes) within the preseason ballot. Each groups certified for the 2023 NCAA Softball Championship final 12 months with the Titans incomes the best of passage courtesy of an at-large bid. This was the primary time since 2018 the Massive West had multiple consultant within the postseason.
The Seaside boasts a league-best three representatives on the 11-member Massive West preseason coaches’ crew with junior infielder Jacquelyn Bickar, junior pitcher Shannon Haddad, and senior outfielder Sara Olson. The LBSU trio all garnered First Crew All-Massive West honors a 12 months in the past.
Bickar and Olson positioned first and second on The Seaside in slugging proportion (.329, .307), hits (52, 43), homeruns (4,3) and RBI (17, 18), respectively. Haddad was the main pitcher for LBSU posting 2.71 ERA throughout 146.1 innings pitched with 107 strikeouts. Even higher in league play, Haddad went 9-3 with a 1.51 ERA and a .197 batting common towards, each within the High 5 within the Massive West.
CSUN (28-24, 19-8 BW) is available in third place with 65 factors. The Matadors completed third place in The Massive West final 12 months after being polled fifth in final 12 months’s version.
UC Santa Barbara (26-22, 13-14 BW) was chosen because the fourth crew with 52 factors and a pair of student-athletes on the preseason crew. Senior catcher/designated player Ashley Donaldson dominated for the Gauchos after ending first in 5 of the six classes on the crew. Senior infielder Madelyn McNally led the convention in runs scored (44) and hits (68) en path to incomes a spot on the All-Pacific Area First Crew.
The Aggies (29-22, 15-12 BW), land each senior pitcher Kenedi Brown and senior outfielder/catcher Anna Dethlefson on the crew whereas ending center of the pack within the ballot, fifth total. UC Davis noticed Dethlefson earn Massive West Participant of the 12 months honors after main the convention in slugging proportion (.627), doubles (15), and stolen bases (40). The Truthful Oaks, Calif. native completed second in batting common (.407), OPS (1.104), runs (43), and hits (61). Brown introduced dwelling Al-Massive West First Crew accolades after rating third within the league in ERA (1.73) and strikeouts (16) a 12 months in the past.
Hawai’i (30-23, 13-14 BW), andCal Poly (19-23, 12-15 BW) completed sixth and seventh within the polling, and every have a single student-athlete awarded to the coaches’ preseason crew, respectively.
Senior infielder Maya Nakamura led the Rainbow Wahine offense with a .390 batting common (48 hits, second on UH) and scored a finest 35 runs for Hawai’i in 2023.
Junior outfielder Jessica Clements set the Cal Poly program file for profession hitting proportion with a .384 clip. Clements additionally posted probably the most multi-hit video games (11) for the Mustangs final season, incomes a spot within the All-Massive West First Crew.
UC Riverside(26), UC San Diego (22), and Cal State Bakersfield (9) spherical out the preseason rankings. These three squads might be seeking to shake up the league after bettering from a 12 months in the past.
The 2024 Massive West convention schedule consists of a 27-game slate, with all sides dealing with all 9 opponents in three-game units beginning Thursday, March 14. Verify listings to see which contests air on ESPN+.
As soon as convention motion commences, 2023 Massive West softball champion Lengthy Seaside State performs host to CSUN at LBSU Softball Complicated on Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. PT in a nationally televised contest on ESPNU.
The 2024 Massive West regular-season champion will earn the league’s automated berth once more this 12 months into the 64-team NCAA Division I Softball Championship. The 2024 WCWS stays on the USA Softball Corridor of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma Metropolis, Okla., Could 31-June 9.
2024 Massive West Softball Preseason Coaches’ Crew