DENVER-- The Western Athletic Conference softball coaches selected Hawai?i to win the 2008 WAC regular season crown. This is the second time that Hawai?i has been picked to take the preseason crown. The Rainbow Wahine were also picked to take the title in 2002. The coaches also voted on 2008 preseason award winners. For the first time, Nevada’s senior Jordan McPherson earned preseason Pitcher of the Year honors. Hawai?i senior Kate Robinson became the second-straight Hawai?i first baseman to earn preseason Player of the Year honors. Last season, Tyleen Tausaga earned the honor.
Hawai?i edged out Fresno State with 36 points to the Bulldog’s 30 for the preseason crown. For the third-straight season, Nevada was picked to finish third with 26 points. The Rainbow Wahine and the Bulldogs 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 26 NCAA Tournaments, while Hawai?i became the first WAC team to advance to a NCAA Super Regional, losing in three games to Tennessee in Knoxville.
New Mexico State finished fourth with 20 points followed by San Jose State with 17 points. Utah State was picked to finish sixth with 10 points, while Louisiana Tech was picked to finish seventh with eight points.
Hawai?i placed the most on the preseason all-WAC team with six. Besides Robinson, fellow senior Valana Manuma was named to the team at shortstop. Catcher Katie Grimes, third baseman Clare Warwick and outfielder Kaulana Gould were also named to the team. Utility player Audrey Andrade was named at-large. There were three Bulldogs named to the team, including second baseman Jenna Cervantez. Shortstop Haley Perkins and utility player Nicole Angene were named at-large. There were three named at-large due to a tie.
Seven members of the 2007 first-team all-WAC squad made an appearance on the preseason all-WAC team, including Robinson. Fresno State’s Perkins and Hawai?i’s Gould also made a repeat appearance. Other players appearing on both teams are San Jose State’s Liz Perez, Nevada’s Brittany Puzey, Hawai?i’s Clare Warwick and Fresno State’s Jenna Cervantez.
2008 WAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(Points awarded on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis)
Coaches could not vote for their own teams.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
1. Hawai?i 6 0 - - - - 36
2. Fresno St. 1 4 1 - - - 30
3. Nevada - 2 4 - - - 26
4. NMSU - 1 1 3 1 - 20
5. SJSU - - 1 3 2 - 17
6. Utah St. - - - 1 2 3 10
7. La Tech - - - - 2 4 8
Preseason All-WAC Team
C Katie Grimes, So., Hawai?i
1B Kate Robinson, Sr., Hawai?i
2B Jenna Cervantez, Sr., Fresno State
3B Clare Warwick, Jr., Hawai?i
SS Valana Manuma, Sr., Hawai?i
OF Kaulana Gould, Sr., Hawai?i
OF Liz Perez, Sr., San Jose State
OF Brittany Puzey, Jr., Nevada
P Jordan McPherson, Sr., Nevada
UT Stephanie Herrera, Sr., New Mexico State
DP Sarah Smith, Sr., San Jose State
At-Large Audrey Andrade, Jr., UT, Hawai?i
At-Large Nicole Angene, Fr., UT, Fresno State
At-Large Haley Perkins, Jr., 3B, Fresno State
Player of the Year: Kate Robinson, Sr., 1B, Hawai?i
Pitcher of the Year: Jordan McPherson, Sr., P, Nevada