DENVER-- The Western Athletic Conference softball coaches selected Fresno State to win the 2007 WAC regular season crown. Fresno State has been picked to take the preseason crown 11 out of the last 12 years. In 2002, Hawai?i was chosen to win the title. The coaches also voted on 2007 preseason award winners. For the second-straight season Fresno State’s Robin Mackin earned preseason Pitcher of the Year honors. Hawai?i first baseman Tyleen Tausaga earned preseason Player of the Year honors. The last Rainbow Wahine player to earn preseason Player of the Year honors was shortstop Kate Judd who earned the award before the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
Fresno State edged out Hawai?i with 35 points to the Rainbow Wahine’s 30 for the preseason crown. Defending WAC Tournament Champion Nevada was picked to finish third with 28 points. This is the second-straight year that the Wolf Pack have been picked third in the preseason. The Bulldogs and the Wolf Pack were the only WAC teams to advance to the NCAA Tournament last season. Fresno State is the only team in the nation to play in all 25 NCAA Tournaments.
New Mexico State finished fourth with 21 points followed by San Jose State with 14 points. Louisiana Tech was picked to finish sixth with 10 points, while Utah State was picked to finish seventh with nine points.
Fresno State placed the most on the preseason all-WAC team with five. Besides Mackin, fellow sophomore Haley Perkins was named to the team at third base. Catcher Nichole Willis, second baseman Jenna Cervantez and outfielder Shannon Garvin were also named to the team. There were four Rainbow Wahine named to the team. Besides Tausaga, junior outfielder Kaulana Gould was also named to the team along with utility player Kate Robinson and pitcher Justine Smethurst.
Seven members of the 2006 first-team all-WAC squad made an appearance on the preseason all-WAC team, including Mackin and Tausaga. Fresno State’s Perkins and Hawai?i’s Gould also made a repeat appearance. New Mexico State’s Stacey Lien and Louisiana Tech’s Rochelle Sandberg and Emma Barnes were also named to both teams.
2007 WAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Team Total
1. Fresno State 35
2. Hawai?i 30
3. Nevada 28
4. NMSU 21
5. SJSU 14
6. La. Tech 10
7. Utah State 9
Preseason All-WAC Team
C Nichole Willis, Sr., Fresno State
1B Tyleen Tausaga, Sr., Hawai?i
2B Jenna Cervantez, Jr., Fresno State
2B Rochelle Sandberg, Jr., Louisiana Tech
3B Stephanie Herrera, Jr., New Mexico State
SS Haley Perkins, So., Fresno State
OF Emma Barnes, So., Louisiana Tech
OF Shannon Garvin, Sr., Fresno State
OF Kaulana Gould, Jr., Hawai?i
P Robin Mackin, So., Fresno State
UT Kate Robinson, Jr., Hawai?i
DP Stacey Lien, So., New Mexico State
At-Large Jordan McPherson, Jr., P, Nevada
At-Large Justine Smethurst, So., P, Hawai?i
Player of the Year: Tyleen Tausaga, Sr., 1B, Hawai?i
Pitcher of the Year: Robin Mackin, So., Fresno State