PRESEASON ALL-GSC
PRESEASON TOP NEWCOMERS
CLEVELAND, Miss.-With the start of the 2020 campaign one week away, the Delta State University Softball team was picked to finish 11th in the annual Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, as released by the league on Thursday, Jan. 23. The defending champions the University of West Florida received 10 first place votes and was selected as the favorite in the conference.
The perennial powerhouse the University of Alabama in Huntsville received two first place votes and came in second. Newly eligible for post-season play Auburn Montgomery received one first place vote and finished in third in the voting total. Mississippi College and Valdosta State round out the top five.
The Lady Statesmen had two named to the top newcomers list as well. The first was junior transfer
Olivia Burns from Coffeeville, Miss. Burns comes from Itawamba CC. She set the all-time wins record (46), strikeouts (273), ERA (1.74) and single season wins with 27. while at ICC.
The second was freshman newcomer was
Jaclyn Deason from Longville, LA who played softball at South Beauregard HS and was named to the Louisiana Class 3A First Team last year. For her career, she was .447 hitter, along with over 150 RBIs and over 15 .home runs. She also had over 20 wins as a pitcher.
The Lady Statesmen will take on six opponents to start the 2020 season. On Friday, January 31, they will take on Florida Tech and Drury On Saturday, February 1, the Lady Statesmen will play Rollins College and Rogers State On Sunday, February 2, DSU will play Nova Southeastern and Tuskegee.
2020 SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
| School |
Total Points |
| 1. West Florida (10) |
141 |
| 2. Alabama Huntsville (2) |
130 |
| 3. Auburn Montgomery (1) |
117 |
| 4. Mississippi College |
109 |
| 5. Valdosta State |
107 |
| 6. West Georgia |
79 |
| 7. Union |
70 |
| 8. West Alabama |
69 |
| 9. Lee |
64 |
| 10. Montevallo |
48 |
| 11. Delta State |
42 |
| 12. Shorter |
26 |
| 13. Christian Brothers |
12 |
NOTES: The head coaches voted in this poll. Teams received 12 points for a first place vote, 11 for a second place vote, etc. The head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Number of first place votes in parenthesis.
