DENVER-- The Western Athletic Conference softball coaches selected Fresno State to win the 2006 WAC regular season crown. Fresno State has been picked to take the preseason crown 10 out of the last 11 years. In 2002, Hawai'i was chosen to win the title. The coaches also voted on 2006 preseason award winners. Fresno State swept both categories when shortstop Christina Clark was voted preseason Player of the Year and Robin Mackin earned preseason Pitcher of the Year honors. This is Clark?™s third-straight Preseason Player of the Year honor. This is the first Preseason Pitcher of the Year honor for Mackin.
Clicke Here for the complete 2006 Preseason all-WAC team
Fresno State edged out Hawai'i with 35 points to the Rainbow Wahine?™s 30. Fourth-year WAC team Nevada finished third with 26 points. This is the highest the Wolf Pack have been picked in the preseason. The Bulldogs were the only WAC team to advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. Fresno State is the only team in the nation to play in all 24 NCAA Tournaments.
San Jose State finished fourth with 19 points followed closely by newcomer Utah State with 16 points. New Mexico State, playing its first season in the WAC, was picked to finish sixth with 15 points, followed by Louisiana Tech who was picked to finish seventh with six points.
Nevada placed the most student-athletes on the preseason all-WAC team with five, including utility player Candice Rainwater and second baseman Kristin Stith. Designated player Lindsey Hall was also named to the team along with at-large players Jordan McPherson and Brittany Lorenzen. Fresno State had three players on the team, while Hawai'i had two players earn preseason honors. Louisiana Tech, Utah State and New Mexico State all placed one on the team.
Fresno State?™s Christina Clark and Robin Mackin earned honors. Clark, a senior shortstop was a first-team all-WAC selection. Mackin is a freshman pitcher. Former Bulldog All-American Jamie Southern also earned preseason Pitcher of the Year honors in 2002. The Rainbow Wahine?™s Kaulana Gould, the 2005 WAC Freshman of the Year, earned preseason all-WAC honors in the outfield. Tyleen Tausaga, who earned preseason honors at first base, was a first-team selection last season. San Jose State?™s Courtney Lewis and Louisiana Tech?™s Ashley Cameron were named preseason all-WAC in the outfield.
This is the first season for Utah State and New Mexico State in the WAC. Utah State?™s Sara Fleming earned honors at third base, while New Mexico State?™s Sarah Seagraves earned at-large honors.