2019 Preseason Softball Honors Announced
SWAC.org
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference revealed its 2019 Preseason Softball honors, with familiar faces expected to finish atop divisional standings. Alabama State was selected as the early favorite for the Eastern Division, while in the Western Division, defending 2018 Western Division Champion Texas Southern and 2018 SWAC Softball Tournament Champion Prairie View A&M project as co-favorites.
The vote was conducted by the league’s Sports Information Directors and Head Coaches.
The Lady Hornets, who seek their fifth straight appearance in the league tournament championship, garnered nine first-place votes as they edged 2018 Co-Division Champion Alcorn State 82-75 in the predictions. Alabama A&M, who shared the Eastern title with the Lady Braves, was third with 52 total points.
In the West, The Lady Panthers and Lady Tigers each earned 82 votes and nine-first place votes. Southern finished third with 53 total points.
Individual honors were also announced, with Alabama State hurler Justine Jean and Prairie View A&M’s Laurisa Hernandez tabbed as Preseason Pitcher and Hitter of the Year, respectively.
Jean, a first-team choice on the All-SWAC Preseason team, is coming off a 2018 season where she led the SWAC in innings pitched (165.1), strikeouts (101) and wins (12) on her way to a second-team All-Conference nod. The junior from Levittown, N.Y. is one of five Lady Hornets to earn preseason All-SWAC honors.
Hernandez, the 2018 SWAC Softball Tournament MVP, hit .372 last season, with 42 base knocks, 15 of them going for extra bases. The premier big bat in the Lady Panthers’ line up, the senior from Fremont, Calif. hit six home runs while driving in 29 runs, boasting a .628 slugging percentage. She is one of three Lady Panthers to receive preseason All-SWAC nods.
Rounding out the preseason teams, Texas Southern joins Alabama State with five total selections, while Mississippi Valley State had a trio of honorees. Alabama A&M, Alcorn State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff each had a pair of selections, and Southern and Jackson State had one student-athlete each.
Preseason First-Team All-SWAC Softball
1B – Laurisa Hernandez, Prairie View A&M
2B – Tamia-Lee Barbadillo, Alabama A&M
3B – Kristin Gunter, Alabama State
SS – Amari Ramsey, Alcorn State
C – Marissa Padron, Texas Southern
OF – Kelsey Smith, Jackson State
OF – Kailyn Dunn, Mississippi Valley State
OF – Amira James, Alabama State
DP – Charlene Castro, Alabama State
P – Lauren Hayden, Alabama A&M
P – Justine Jean, Alabama State
P – Crystal Castillo, Prairie View A&M
Second-Team All-SWAC Softball
1B – Victoria Tyler, Alcorn State
2B – Ebony Wiltz, Texas Southern
3B – Jodeci Afoa-Tuia, Mississippi Valley State
SS – Alexandria Taylor, UAPB
C – Alyssa Garcia, Prairie View A&M
OF – Tevanae Tate, Texas Southern
OF – Julia Bilbao, Texas Southern
OF – Kaylee Davis, Alabama State
DP – DeShonte Smith, Mississippi Valley State
P – Aubrion James, Southern
P – Juliana Dominguez, UAPB
P – Tyra Williams, Texas Southern
SWAC Softball Preseason Hitter of the Year
Laurisa Hernandez, Prairie View A&M
SWAC Softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Justine Jean, Alabama State
Eastern Division Predicted Order of Finish (1st place votes)
Alabama State, 82 points (9)
Alcorn State, 75 points (7)
Alabama A&M, 52 points (1)
Mississippi Valley State, 42 points (2)
Jackson State, 34 points (0)
Western Division Predicted Order of Finish (1st place votes)
Prairie View A&M, 82 points (9)
Texas Southern, 82 points (9)
Southern, 53 points (0)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 41 points (1)
Grambling State, 27 points (0)