IRVINE, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University has been voted fifth in the 2020 PacWest Conference Preseason Softball Poll released today by the conference office.
The Sharks did not have a player selected to the Preseason All-PacWest Conference team this season.
The Sharks return seven starters as part of 10 returning letterwinners for co-head coaches
Bryan Nakasone and
Jarnett Lono. HPU was 31-24 last season and 22-14 in the PacWest Conference to place fifth.
Senior third baseman
Sierra Dias of Mililani, Hawai'i/Bishop Gorman is back after leading the Sharks with a .371 batting average to go with seven triples, 10 doubles and 24 RBIs last season. Junior centerfielder
Cieana Curran of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell also returns after hitting .330 last season with two homeruns, a triple, seven doubles and 17 RBIs.
HPU received 62 points in the poll for fifth in the 10 team conference, 11 points better than sixth place Academy of Art (20-19, 16-11) with 51. Biola (24-16, 19-11) is fourth with 70 points.
Two-time defending PacWest Champion Concordia Irvine (47-8, 30-3) is the preseason favorite of the league's coaches to repeat, receiving all 10 first place votes and 100 total points. Hawai'i Hilo (31-17, 24-11) received 81 points for second, three points better than Azusa Pacific (31-17, 22-11) with 78 points for third.
Dominican (12-35, 9-26) is picked seventh with 37 points, ahead of Chaminade (13-34, 10-25) in eighth with 29 points. Holy Names (13-32, 12-22) is ninth with 27 points and Notre Dame de Namur (3-44, 3-33) is 10th with 14 points in the poll.
Biola senior catcher Kayla Neff was voted PacWest Preseason Player of the Year, while Concordia Irvine junior Callie Nunes was voted the PacWest Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The Sharks open the 2020 season on the mainland in the Concordia Kickoff Classic at Great Park in Irvine, Calif., starting on Friday. HPU meets Stanislaus State at 10:30 a.m. HST (12:30 p.m. PST) to start the season.
+++ HPU +++
| 2020 PACWEST SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL |
| |
TEAM |
POINTS |
2019 RECORD |
| 1. |
Concordia (10) |
100 |
47-8 (30-3) |
| 2. |
Hawai`i Hilo |
81 |
31-17 (24-11) |
| 3. |
Azusa Pacific |
78 |
31-17 (22-11) |
| 4. |
Biola |
70 |
24-16 (19-11) |
| 5. |
Hawai`i Pacific |
62 |
31-24 (22-14) |
| 6. |
Academy of Art |
51 |
20-19 (16-11) |
| 7. |
Dominican |
37 |
12-35 (9-26) |
| 8. |
Chaminade |
29 |
13-34 (10-25) |
| 9. |
Holy Names |
27 |
13-32 (12-22) |
| 10. |
Notre Dame de Namur |
14 |
3-44 (3-33) |
| First-place votes in parenthesis |
| 2020 PRESEASON ALL-PACWEST SOFTBALL TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Class |
B/T |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Kayla Neff * |
Biola |
C |
Sr. |
R/R |
Huntington Beach, Calif. / Edison |
| Sydney Sprinkle |
Concordia |
1B |
So. |
R/R |
Palm Desert, Calif./Palm Desert |
| Amanda Woods |
Azusa Pacific |
2B |
So. |
R/R |
Glendora, Calif. / Glendora |
| Amanda Gjertsen |
Concordia |
3B |
Sr. |
R/R |
Mission Viejo, Calif. / Capistrano Valley |
| Sarah Kretschmar |
Concordia |
SS |
Sr. |
R/R |
Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Ranch |
| Rayla Jacobs-Kea |
Hawai`i Hilo |
OF |
Jr. |
L/R |
Waianae, Hawai`i/Midland College |
| Megan Massa |
Concordia |
OF |
So. |
L/R |
Fairfield, Calif./Rodriguez |
| McKenzie Schumacher |
Dominican |
OF |
Jr. |
L/R |
Merced, Calif. / El Capitan |
| Brinell Kaleikini |
Hawai`i Hilo |
UT |
Jr. |
R/R |
Honolulu / Moanalua |
| Callie Nunes ^ |
Concordia |
P |
Jr. |
R/R |
Modesto, Calif. / Ceres |
| Paige Austin |
Biola |
P |
Jr. |
R/R |
Los Alamitos, Calif. / Los Alamitos |
| Kat Ung |
Azusa Pacific |
P |
Jr. |
L/L |
Redondo Beach, Calif. / Redondo Union |
* - Preseason Player of the Year
^ - Preseason Pitcher of the Year
