NEW MEXICO STATE TO HOST 2015 WAC TOURNAMENT
New Mexico State will host the 2015 WAC Softball Tournament. The five eligible teams will advance to the double-elimination tournament, which will be held at the NM State Softball Complex May 7-9. This is the third time the Aggies have hosted the event, as they did so in 2010 and 2012.
NEW MEXICO STATE PICKED TO WIN 2015 WAC TITLE
In a preseason vote of the six WAC softball coaches, who could not vote for their own team, New Mexico State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the title.
The Aggies took the top spot in the preseason poll with 23 points and three first-place votes, edging out Grand Canyon in second place with 22 points and the other three first-place votes. Seattle U was third with 14 points, while Utah Valley and UMKC tied for fourth place with 13 points each. Bakersfield rounded out the poll with five points.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM
New Mexico State senior outfielder Staci Rodriguez was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year and Missouri-Kansas City's Katie Kelley was selected as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year in a vote of the league's six head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.
New Mexico State placed the most players on the Preseason All-WAC Team with four, while Grand Canyon and Seattle U had three apiece and UMKC had two.
Joining Rodriguez and Kelley on the Preseason All-WAC Team are Grand Canyon's Kelsey Barak, Kayla Henry and Nicole Newbury; UMKC's Cinda Ramos; New Mexico State's Emma Adams, Fiana Finau and Lacey Rother; Seattle U's Izzy Geronimo, Lisa Maulden and Bubba Morrow; and Utah Valley's Brittney Vansway.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Of the 13 first team All-WAC players from last year, 11 return for the 2015 season, including reigning WAC Player of the Year Lacey Rother of New Mexico State. Also returning are Rother's teammates Fiana Finau and Alyssa Ruiz; Grand Canyon's Kelsey Barak, Nicole Newbury and Lauren Regester; Isabella Geronimo, Lisa Maulden and Bubba Morrow of Seattle U; and Missouri-Kansas City's Katie Kelley and Cinda Ramos.
Nine of the second team All-WAC selections return for 2015, including four from New Mexico State (Emma Adams, Makayla McAdams, Brennalyn Nakamura and Staci Rodriguez). Also returning are Lindsay Davis and Jenny Hurst of Seattle U, Bakersfield's Madison Bundy, Kayla Henry of Grand Canyon and Utah Valley's Brittney Vansway.
TOP RETURNING STAT LEADERS
The top returning stat leaders in the WAC from last year include:
|
Category |
Name, School |
Statistic/'14 Rank |
|
Batting Average |
Staci Rodriguez, NMSU |
.397/1st |
|
Slugging Pct. |
Staci Rodriguez, NMSU |
.788/1st |
|
On Base Pct. |
Staci Rodriguez, NMSU |
.526/1st |
|
Runs |
Staci Rodriguez, NMSU |
60/1st |
|
Hits |
Fiana Finau, NMSU |
63/1st |
|
RBI |
Fiana Finau, NMSU |
47/1st |
|
Doubles |
Brianna Gatlin, UVU |
14/T-1st |
|
|
Katie Kelley, UMKC |
|
|
|
Marlee Maples, UMKC |
|
|
Triples |
Henry, Kayla, GCU |
3/3rd |
|
Home Runs |
Staci Rodriguez, NMSU |
15/1st |
|
Stolen Bases |
Brooke Parker, UMKC |
22/1st |
|
ERA |
Katie Kelley, UMKC |
3.17/2nd |
|
Wins |
Katie Kelley, UMKC |
13/2nd |
|
Saves |
Sydney Raeber, CSUB |
4/T-1st |
|
|
Alyssa Reuble, SU |
|
|
Strikeouts |
Katie Kelley, UMKC |
118/2nd |
|
Innings Pitched |
Kelsie Monroe, CSUB |
189.0/1st |
|
Opponent Batting Average |
Makayla McAdams, NMSU |
.265/2nd |