COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After representing the Mountain West Conference in last year’s NCAA Softball Tournament, BYU and San Diego State are expected to challenge for the MWC regular-season title in 2009, according to a vote of the league coaches. The Cougars and Aztecs each received three first-place votes to finish in a tie for first in the preseason poll.
"It's an honor to be thought of as a solid program," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "This is an extremely talented team and could do magical things, but our conference is competitive and it is how you finish that matters. Any team could finish on top."
BYU and San Diego State received 23 points apiece to share the top spot in the poll. UNLV tallied 15 points to place third, followed by Utah (14 points), Colorado State (10) and New Mexico (5).
In 2008, San Diego State (44-17 overall, 15-5 MWC), set program records in 2008 for wins in a season and win percentage (.721) on its way to a fourth MWC regular-season title. The Aztecs return 12 letterwinners from that squad, including senior All-American catcher/infielder Erin Floros and 2007 all-MWC selections Brittany Knudsen (Jr., OF) and Lindsey Marquez (Jr., 2B).
BYU recorded its fourth 40-win season in 2008 (44-20 overall, 14-6 MWC) en route to a fourth-consecutive NCAA berth. The Cougars will be led by three returning 2008 all-conference performers, including MWC Freshman of the Year Kristin Delahoussaye (So., 2B), Angeline Quiocho (Jr., 3B) and Amanda Vance (Jr., UTL).
The 2009 MWC softball season will kick off on Thur., Feb. 5, as Colorado State travels to New Mexico State, and BYU heads to St. George, Utah, for the BYU/UVSC Red Desert Classic. Conference play opens Thur., April 2.
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2009 MWC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll
Pl. Team (1st place votes) Points
T1. BYU (3) 23
T1. San Diego State (3) 23
3. UNLV 15
4. Utah 14
5. Colorado State 10
6. New Mexico 5