ACU Softball Picked 2nd In LSC South

RICHARDSON -- Angelo State and Midwestern Angelo State and Midwestern State were the top choices for the Lone Star Conference softball divisional titles in 2010 as the preseason polls were announced by league officials on Wednesday.

ASU is the favorite in the LSC South Division, while MSU is the frontrunner to win the LSC North Division.

The Rambelles collected 14 of the 20 first-place votes cast by LSC coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives.

Abilene Christian, the defending South Division champions, finished right behind ASU in the poll with 122 points and five first-place votes, while West Texas A&M was third with 88 points and the remaining first-place nod.

Tarleton State was fourth with 69 points, followed by TAMUK in fifth with 66, Texas Woman’s sixth with 54 and Eastern New Mexico seventh with 29.

Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Cassie Anderson was tabbed LSC South Division Preseason Player of the Year.  Anderson, a senior outfielder from Splendora, Texas, led the league with an impressive .437 batting average, including a TAMUK and LSC record 26-game hitting streak, to earn LSC South and Daktronics All-American first team honors.  She led the Javelina offense in nearly every category en route to setting school records for batting average and on-base percentage (.485).  She was also a NFCA South Central Region first-team and NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-American second-team selection in 2009.

ASU’s Chelsea Nelson claimed LSC South Division Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors.  Nelson, a senior from Highland Village, Texas, posted a 31-6 record with a 2.47 ERA, 176 strikeouts, three shutouts and three saves in 238 innings last season.  She made 44 appearances with 34 stars and 24 complete games to earn Daktronics first team plus NFCA all-region and LSC South second-team acclaim.  She was named 2009 LSC South Newcomer of the Year.

Midwestern State is the favorite to claim the Lone Star Conference North Division title.  The Mustangs received eight first-place votes on the 17 ballots cast by LSC coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives.

MSU, who posted a 31-17 overall and 13-9 league record last season, totaled 99 points in the poll.  The Mustangs have won three North Division titles and two conference championships in the program’s six-year history.

The top three spots were close as SE, the defending North Division champions, collected six first-place votes to finish second with 95 points, while UCO was third with 92 points and the three remaining first-place nods.  CU was fourth with 77 points, followed by Northeastern State and Southwestern Oklahoma tied in fifth with 38 and East Central seventh with 37.

The 2010 season begins February 1st with non-conference action and the LSC has 14 teams competing with seven in each division.  In addition to divisional play, the league will hold its annual crossover tournament March 26-27-28 in Durant, Okla.  The top four teams in each division will advance to the LSC Championship, May 6-7-8, in Seguin, Texas.