University of Houston Athletics
Softball Tops Preseason Coaches' Poll For Third Consecutive Season
1/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
" I am excited about another season as the preseason pick. We are very clear that trying to do this the second time around is going to be a lot tougher. When you are picked at the top everyone is playing to beat you," head coach Kyla Holas said.
Houston was followed in the poll by East Carolina, UCF and Tulsa. ECU was the 2007 regular season runner-up and finished second in the 2007 Conference USA Softball Tournament.
UH junior Jessica Valis earned preseason honors after being named the Preseason Player of the Year. Valis, the 2007 C-USA Player of the Year, ranked in the conference's Top 10 in six offensive categories to help lead the Cougars to a 20-4 finish and the 2007 C-USA Softball Championship. The Shiner, Texas native was also an NFCA All-South Region Second-Team selection in 2007.
Senior RHP Angel Shamblin was also chosen as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season. Shamblin went 31-9 last season, earning C-USA Pitcher of the Year honors as well as a NFCA All-South Region Second Team selection. Her team leading 1.42 ERA was the second lowest in C-USA and her 15 wins in league play tied the C-USA record.
"I think Angel and Jessica have prepared and worked hard at improving their game in order to have another great season. As long as, they can stay healthy and positive they each have a great chance of repeating," Holas said.
It says a lot about them as athletes and people to receive this consideration again. I am proud to have lead this team as Cougars!"
Joining Valis and Shamblin to the Preseason All-Conference Team was junior Katie Bush. Bush was a 2007 All-C-USA First Team Selection and was one of four Cougars to start all 62 games last season. She was fifth on the squad last season with a .274 batting average and had a team-best 16 sacrifice hits.
Houston opens the 2008 season with a pair of double headers against Nicholls State and McNeese State on Feb. 8 and Feb. 9 at the Cougar Softball Stadium.
The Cougars are also the hosts for the 2008 Conference USA Championship on May 8-10. For the third consecutive year, the championship game will be televised live by CSTV on May 10.
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Houston
2. East Carolina
3. UCF
4. Tulsa
5. Marshall
Player of the Year
Jessica Valis, IF, Jr., Houston
Pitcher of the Year
Angel Shamblin, P, Sr., Houston
All-Conference Team
Rachel Folden, C, Sr., Marshall
Jessica Valis, IF, Jr., Houston
Breanne Javier, IF, Jr., UCF
Sara Dyer, IF, Sr., Tulsa
Jessica Johnson, IF, Jr., East Carolina
Samantha Rodriguez, IF, Sr., Marshall
Megan Hill, OF, So., Southern Miss
Katie Bush, OF, Jr., Houston
Ashley Ellis, OF, So., UTEP
Charina Sumner, OF, So., East Carolina
Angel Shamblin, P, Sr., Houston
Allison Kime, P, Sr., UCF
Leila Dolfo, UT, Jr., Memphis
Jackie Lawrence, DP, So., Tulsa
