The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Picked to Finish Second in C-USA West Division
2/4/2021 11:00:00 AM | Softball
DALLAS – Conference USA has announced its 2021 preseason softball awards, as chosen by the league's 12 head coaches. Marshall senior infielder Aly Harrell has been chosen as the Preseason Player of the Year, while North Texas senior right-hander Hope Trautwein was named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year. WKU was picked to win the East Division, while North Texas was chosen to finish first in the West Division.
Harrell led her team with a .602 on base percentage and was on pace to break her own single-season team record set last year before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She reached base safely in 24-of-25 games, including the first 23-straight, and she has now started 116 consecutive games, dating back to March 21, 2018. Harrell finished the 2020 season batting .441 (second on the team), with 30 hits, 23 BB, 8 doubles, 5 homers and 23 RBI. Harrell is one of four Thundering Herd players to be named preseason All-Conference, more than any other team. Also chosen were senior infielder Sierra Huerta (.359, 9 HR's each of the last two seasons), junior outfielder Mya Stevenson (.385, 12 HR, 36 RBI last season) and senior DP/Utility player Saige Pye (.463 with 15 extra-base hits and 28 RBI in 25 games).
This is the second straight season that Trautwein has been named the Preseason C-USA Pitcher of the Year. The right-handed captain is a two-time all-conference selection, whose last full campaign in 2019 witnessed her hold opponents to a career-low .187 average. After posting 22 wins in the circle through 28 starts in 2019, she was 11-1 in the one month played in 2020, notching a 1.64 ERA with 121 strikeouts in 81.0 innings pitched. Joining Trautwein on the preseason squad is junior IF Tayla Evans (.314 batting average with 5 doubles, 5 home runs and 19 RBI in 2020).
East Division favorite WKU is represented by two pitchers and a catcher on the preseason All-Conference team. Across 79.0 innings of work in 2020, redshirt senior Kelsie Aikey owned a 1.86 ERA to go along with a 10-3 record, seven complete games and three saves. The righty racked up 116 strikeouts against just 33 walks. Redshirt junior Shelby Nunn notched a 6-1 ledger with a 1.15 ERA and just 6 walks allowed in 54.2 inning pitched. Both standout hurlers will throw to redshirt junior catcher Kendall Smith (.348, 5 HR, 22 RBI).
Middle Tennessee and UTSA each produced a pair of preseason honorees. The Blue Raiders are represented by graduate infielders Summer Burgess and Lexi Cushing. Burgess, the team's leadoff hitter, batted .333 with a team-best six doubles and was 10-of-12 in stolen base attempts. Cushing hit. 364, scoring a team-high 21 runs scored and hitting 10 home runs in 28 games. Roadrunners sophomore infielder Riley Grunberg and senior outfielder Celeste Loughman are the Roadrunners selections. Grunberg batted .387 with 21 runs scored, six doubles, six home runs and 15 RBI in 75 at bats. Loughman started all 25 games at center field, batting .375 with 23 runs scored, a career-high seven home runs and 30 RBI.
The 2021 Conference USA softball season begins Friday, February 12. The 2021 C-USA Softball Championship will be May 12-15 in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
1. WKU (8)
2. Marshall (3)
3. Charlotte (1)
4. Middle Tennessee
5. Florida Atlantic
6. FIU
WEST
1. North Texas (10)
2. UAB (1)
3. Southern Miss (1)
4. UTSA
5. Louisiana Tech
6. UTEP
(first place votes in parentheses)
Player of the Year
Pitcher: Shelby Nunn R-Jr. WKU
Pitcher: Hope Trautwein Sr. North Texas
Catcher: Kendall Smith R-Jr. WKU
Catcher: Bailey Vannoy Jr. Charlotte
Infielder: Sierra Huerta Sr. Marshall
Infielder: Summer Burgess Gr. Middle Tennessee
Infielder: Lexi Cushing Gr. Middle Tennessee
Infielder: Aly Harrell Sr. Marshall
Infielder: Riley Grunberg So. UTSA
Infielder: Tayla Evans Jr. North Texas
Outfielder: Kasey Flores Jr. UTEP
Outfielder: Mya Stevenson Jr. Marshall
Outfielder: Celeste Loughman Sr. UTSA
Outfielder: Madison Rayner Jr. Southern Miss
DP/Utility: Saige Pye Sr. Marshall
Harrell led her team with a .602 on base percentage and was on pace to break her own single-season team record set last year before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She reached base safely in 24-of-25 games, including the first 23-straight, and she has now started 116 consecutive games, dating back to March 21, 2018. Harrell finished the 2020 season batting .441 (second on the team), with 30 hits, 23 BB, 8 doubles, 5 homers and 23 RBI. Harrell is one of four Thundering Herd players to be named preseason All-Conference, more than any other team. Also chosen were senior infielder Sierra Huerta (.359, 9 HR's each of the last two seasons), junior outfielder Mya Stevenson (.385, 12 HR, 36 RBI last season) and senior DP/Utility player Saige Pye (.463 with 15 extra-base hits and 28 RBI in 25 games).
This is the second straight season that Trautwein has been named the Preseason C-USA Pitcher of the Year. The right-handed captain is a two-time all-conference selection, whose last full campaign in 2019 witnessed her hold opponents to a career-low .187 average. After posting 22 wins in the circle through 28 starts in 2019, she was 11-1 in the one month played in 2020, notching a 1.64 ERA with 121 strikeouts in 81.0 innings pitched. Joining Trautwein on the preseason squad is junior IF Tayla Evans (.314 batting average with 5 doubles, 5 home runs and 19 RBI in 2020).
East Division favorite WKU is represented by two pitchers and a catcher on the preseason All-Conference team. Across 79.0 innings of work in 2020, redshirt senior Kelsie Aikey owned a 1.86 ERA to go along with a 10-3 record, seven complete games and three saves. The righty racked up 116 strikeouts against just 33 walks. Redshirt junior Shelby Nunn notched a 6-1 ledger with a 1.15 ERA and just 6 walks allowed in 54.2 inning pitched. Both standout hurlers will throw to redshirt junior catcher Kendall Smith (.348, 5 HR, 22 RBI).
Middle Tennessee and UTSA each produced a pair of preseason honorees. The Blue Raiders are represented by graduate infielders Summer Burgess and Lexi Cushing. Burgess, the team's leadoff hitter, batted .333 with a team-best six doubles and was 10-of-12 in stolen base attempts. Cushing hit. 364, scoring a team-high 21 runs scored and hitting 10 home runs in 28 games. Roadrunners sophomore infielder Riley Grunberg and senior outfielder Celeste Loughman are the Roadrunners selections. Grunberg batted .387 with 21 runs scored, six doubles, six home runs and 15 RBI in 75 at bats. Loughman started all 25 games at center field, batting .375 with 23 runs scored, a career-high seven home runs and 30 RBI.
The 2021 Conference USA softball season begins Friday, February 12. The 2021 C-USA Softball Championship will be May 12-15 in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
2021 PRESEASON SOFTBALL AWARDS
(as selected by C-USA's head coaches)PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
EAST1. WKU (8)
2. Marshall (3)
3. Charlotte (1)
4. Middle Tennessee
5. Florida Atlantic
6. FIU
WEST
1. North Texas (10)
2. UAB (1)
3. Southern Miss (1)
4. UTSA
5. Louisiana Tech
6. UTEP
(first place votes in parentheses)
Player of the Year
Aly Harrell, Marshall (Senior, IF)
Pitcher of the Year
Hope Trautwein, North Texas (Senior, RHP)
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Pitcher: Kelsey Aikey R-Sr. WKUPitcher: Shelby Nunn R-Jr. WKU
Pitcher: Hope Trautwein Sr. North Texas
Catcher: Kendall Smith R-Jr. WKU
Catcher: Bailey Vannoy Jr. Charlotte
Infielder: Sierra Huerta Sr. Marshall
Infielder: Summer Burgess Gr. Middle Tennessee
Infielder: Lexi Cushing Gr. Middle Tennessee
Infielder: Aly Harrell Sr. Marshall
Infielder: Riley Grunberg So. UTSA
Infielder: Tayla Evans Jr. North Texas
Outfielder: Kasey Flores Jr. UTEP
Outfielder: Mya Stevenson Jr. Marshall
Outfielder: Celeste Loughman Sr. UTSA
Outfielder: Madison Rayner Jr. Southern Miss
DP/Utility: Saige Pye Sr. Marshall
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