This Week in WAC Softball - Feb. 9
This Week in WAC Softball - Feb. 9
Complete Release (PDF)
SEATTLE U TO HOST 2022 WAC TOURNAMENT
Sam Houston will serve as hosts for the season ending WAC tournament from May 12-14 at the Bearkat Softball Complex in Hunstville, Texas.
SEATTLE U, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN PICKED TO WIN 2021 WAC DIVISION TITLES
With the addition of four Texas schools during the summer of 2021, the WAC separated the 11 playing softball members into two divisions. One division feature Texas only schools with the remaining six schools playing in the Western Division.
Defending WAC tournament champion Seattle U was picked to win the Western Division. NM State, runner-up at the WAC tournament in 2021, was selected in the number two position in the preseason head coaches poll. Grand Canyon was chosen third with Dixie State picked fourth as California Baptist and Utah Valley rounded out the six-team division.
The Southwest Division preseason pick went to Stephen F. Austin with Sam Houston selected in the runner-up spot. Abilene Christian was chosen in the third position as Tarleton and Lamar completed that five-team division.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM
The top two spots on the preseason all-conference team went to a pair of Stephen F. Austin players. Shaylon Govan was selected as the conference’s preseason Player of the Year with Kassidy Wilbur voted the preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The 13-player preseason all-conference team features nine players who earned first- or second-team WAC accolades last season.
Kayla Bowen (NMSU) Sr., Util.
Kristin Fifield (GCU), Jr., Util.
Gaby Garcia (SFA) Jr., C/OF
Shaylon Govan (SFA) Jr., INF/OF
Hannah Hughbanks (DSU) Jr., OF/1B
Ramsey Lopez (NMSU) r-Soph., INF
Carley Nance (SU) Grad, LHP
Stefanie Madrigal (SU) Jr., RHP
Gianna Nicoletti (GCU) Sr., OF
Linnah Rebolledo (UVU) Sr., INF/OF
Kalena Shepherd (UVU) Jr., C
Olivia Viggiano (SU) Sr., OF
Kassidy Wilbur (SFA) Sr., RHP
SEASON OPENING WEEKEND
There are 54 scheduled games being played by conference teams this weekend.
A vast majority of WAC teams are playing neutral site games on the road as the 2022 campaign gets underway. Grand Canyon is hosting the first of five tournament this weekend as they play five games at the GCU Kickoff Classic. Sam Houston is hosting the Bearkat Classic as they play five games this weekend as well. NM State also stays as home by hosting Texas State for two games then Oregon State.
Lamar probably gets the best trip of the weekend as the Cardinals begin the season by playing at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge on the sunny beaches in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Stephen F. Austin travels across the border to play in Monroe, La. with Tarleton making an east coast trip to compete in Furman’s Tournament in Greensville, S.C.
Abilene Christian makes a cross state trip to El Paso to play in UTEP’s event. California Baptist is at Arizona State’s Kajikawa Classic with Dixie State traveling to Fullerton, Calif. for their season opening games.
Wrapping up the road trips is Utah Valley at the Lynn Russell Miller Classic in Riverside, Calif. and Seattle U traveling to Rosemont, Ill. to compete indoors at DePaul’s tournament just outside the Windy City.
A Look Back: 2021
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TOURNAMENT
Seattle U took advantage of hosting the season ending WAC tournament by winning three games without a loss to win the four-team event and claim the league’s automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament.
Seeds:1-NM State, 2-Seattle U, 3-Grand Canyon, 4-Utah Valley
G TEAMS R-H-E
1 Utah Valley 6-8-1
NM State 5-10-0
2 Grand Canyon 4-8-0
Seattle U 5-10-0
3 NM State 6-9-1
Grand Canyon 2-6-4
4 Seattle U 5-9-2
Utah Valley 1-3-0
5 NM State 4-7-0
Utah Valley 3-8-0
6 Seattle U 7-8-0
NM State 5-7-2
REGULAR SEASON CONFERENCE RECAP
NM State won the regular season title. When there were seven teams playing for the conference title, the Aggies finished one game better than Seattle U. They won the title with a 14-4 league mark with the Redhawks completing their season with a 13-5 conference record.
Grand Canyon, Utah Valley and California Baptist all won eight regular season games. Dixie State (6 wins) and Tarleton (5) wrapped-up the regular season standings