The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Softball Lands Three On All-C-USA Preseason Team
1/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Jan. 26, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Three UAB softball players have been selected to the 2011 All-Conference USA Preseason Team and the Blazers have been picked to finish second in this season's conference race, the league office announced Wednesday.
Junior catcher Mandy Lowman, junior shortstop Kayla Orr and sophomore pitcher Lauren Webster all earned preseason accolades as the Blazers tied Houston with the most selections.
After making the program's first-ever NCAA Championship appearance in 2010, UAB is coming off one of the program's most successful seasons. The Blazers finished with an overall record of 37-22, becoming just the second team in school history to reach the 37-win mark. UAB placed fourth in C-USA after finishing with a 15-9 league record to tie the most conference wins in program history.
After standout seasons, Lowman and Orr were tabbed to the 2010 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Mideast Region First Team, while Webster was a second-team selection. In addition, Lowman and Orr were named to the All-C-USA First Team, and Webster was named to the All-C-USA Second Team. Webster was also voted the league's Freshman of the Year after recording a 1.77 ERA and a 17-5 overall record, including a perfect 7-0 record in league play.
The trio was also responsible for five of the 10 UAB single-season records that were shattered in 2010. Orr broke the UAB single-season slugging percentage (.565) record, while Lowman notched 44 RBI to set a new program mark. In the circle, Webster set new opponent batting average (.200), saves (4) and walks allowed per game (1.19) records.
Houston was picked to win the league in 2011, receiving 70 points and three first-place votes from C-USA's nine head coaches. UAB and 2010 C-USA regular season and tournament champion East Carolina both received 63 votes to be chosen to finish as the runners-up.
The Blazers open their 2011 campaign at the Hibbett/Easton All-Alabama Softball Classic on Feb. 11 against Jacksonville State. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m. CT at Liberty Park in Vestavia Hills, Ala.
Below is a complete list of the 2011 preseason team rankings and softball awards.
2011 C-USA PRESEASON TEAM RANKINGS (1st Place Votes)
1. Houston (3) 70
2. East Carolina (3) 63
UAB (2) 63
4. Tulsa (1) 61
5. UCF 48
6. Southern Miss 31
7. Memphis 29
8. UTEP 23
9. Marshall 17
2011 PRESEASON SOFTBALL AWARDS
(as selected by C-USA's head coaches)
PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Toni Paisley, East Carolina (Senior)
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Camilla Carrera, UTEP (Catcher/Utility, Senior)
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
P Toni Paisley, East Carolina
P Donna Bourgeois, Houston
P Lauren Webster, UAB
C Mandy Lowman, UAB
IF Samantha Cobb, Tulsa
IF Natalie Land, UCF
IF Kayla Orr, UAB
IF Jazmine Valle, Marshall
IF Tiffany Lane, UCF
OF Caitlin Everett, Tulsa
OF Ashleigh Jones, Houston
OF Lelani Bernardino, Memphis
OF Leslie LeJune, Southern Miss
DH Reina Gaber, Houston
UT Camilla Carrera, UTEP
