Three Jaguars Named To Preseason All-SBC Softball Team
With the Softball season fast approaching, three South Alabama student-athletes were named to the 2014 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team as the Jags were predicted to finish 2nd in the conference this season in selections made by Conference coaches.
Senior lefty Hannah Campbell was selected to the team for the second consecutive season at pitcher. Junior outfielder Blair Johnson was also selected for the second time while junior Kaitlyn Griffith was selected for the first time in her Jaguar career. Griffith is moving from second base to shortstop to fill the position vacated by former Jaguar standout Brittany Fowler.
This is the second straight year the Jags have had at least three selected to the list, which ties for the most this season with Western Kentucky.
Campbell was the first Jaguar to have ever been named an All-American last season. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association selected her after a 22-9 season with the second best ERA in the nation at 1.08. She also set a single-season record last year in saves with six and shutouts with 10 while tossing three no-hitters, including a perfect game against Mississippi Valley State in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Mobile Regionals.
Johnson made the preseason list for the second time this season after helping to lead the Jaguars to back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Tournament championships. She led the team in hits (61) for the second straight season while recording 43 runs scored and 38 RBI. She was named to the All-SBC second team in her first collegiate season in 2012 and was named to the first-team last season.
Griffith finished second on the team in home runs with 10. She led the Jags past Troy in last year’s conference tournament. She had a .577 slugging percentage last year and had a .417 on-base percentage. She drew the second-most hit-by-pitches last season with 16 and recorded a .984 fielding percentage. She displayed her defensive prowess against #9 UCLA last season when filling in for an injursed Brittany Fowler, she had five-assists and a two put-outs from the shortstop position.
Griffith was a second-team selection last season and was named to the all-tournament team as well.
USA finished second to regular-season champion Western Kentucky with Louisiana-Lafayette finishing third. The Jags and ULL faced off in the conference tital game.
The #20 ranked Jaguars open the 2014 season on Thursday, February 6 against #21 ranks UAB at Jaguar Field to to begin the Mardi Gras Invitational.
2014 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
UL Lafayette (6)-62 pts
South Alabama (2) -57 pts
WKU (0) -47 pts
Texas State (0) -33 pts
Georgia State (0) -30 pts
Troy (0) -27 pts
UT Arlington (0) -21 pts
UL Monroe (0) -11 pts