RUSTON - Conference USA released its preseason coaches' poll and all-league team on Wednesday morning and the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters didn't receive much love.

As a team the Lady Techsters were tabbed 11th out 12 teams while not a single LA Tech player was voted to the 14-person all-league team.

And LA Tech head coach Mark Montgomery is fine with both.

"We aren't worried about where we are selected prior to the season starting," Montgomery said. "What matters is where we finish in the standings come early May. We have our own internal goals that we have set; goals that I think we can achieve. This group has impressed me with their work ethic, unselfishness, and strong desire to be the best they can be.

"I think we have a couple of young ladies who should have been on the team, but every coach feels that way about their players. Again, I'd rather we have players represented on the all-conference team at the end of the season based on what they accomplished during the next three months. And I think we will."

With the departure from the league of last year's champion Tulsa, the race for the Conference USA title is wide open.

FIU and UAB both received five first place votes to tie for first while Florida Atlantic (1) and Marshall (1) each received one first place vote to finish third and fourth. WKU, North Texas, UTSA, Charlotte, UTEP, Southern Miss, LA Tech and Middle Tennessee round out the coaches' poll.

No one can blame the C-USA coaches for their votes. LA Tech struggled to a 19-33 mark last year, including a 7-16 record in league play. Tech failed to qualify for the C-USA Tournament.

However, what the league coaches don't know is what Montgomery and his coaching staff have seen during the fall games - Tech went 7-1 and outscored its opponents 75-27 - , early morning conditioning drills, and every day at practice. Montgomery won't make predictions but he quietly is confident that this team will show marked improvement in the second year at Conference USA members.

"We are going to continue to focus on the process every day in practice," Montgomery said. "As a collective group we are excited about the start of the season."

LA Tech opens the 2015 season on Feb. 5 when it host UL-Monroe at 3 p.m. in the first game of the Lady Techster Invitational, a six-team, four-day, 15-game tournament held in Ruston.

Preseason Rankings

T-1. FIU (5)

T-1. UAB (5)

3. Florida Atlantic (1)

4. Marshall (1)

5. WKU

6. North Texas

7. UTSA

8. Charlotte

9. UTEP

10. Southern Miss

11. Louisiana Tech

12. Middle Tennessee

2015 C-USA Softball Preseason Team

P - Lexi Betancourt, Charlotte, Jr.

P - Samantha Messer, Florida Atlantic, Sr.

P - Miranda Kramer, WKU, Sr.

C - Jackie Kleinsmith, Charlotte, Sr.

C - Mickey Bell, Florida Atlantic, Jr.

C - Dani Pugh, WKU, Sr.

IF - Stephanie Texeira, FIU, So.

IF - Shaelynn Braxton, Marshall, Jr.

IF - Dani Hoff, North Texas, Sr.

IF - Caitlin Attfield, UAB, Jr.

IF - Megan Low, UTSA, Sr.

OF - Christina Martinez, Florida Atlantic, Jr.

OF - Kaelynn Greene, Marshall, Jr.

OF - Morgan Zerkle, Marshall, So.

OF - Ashley Eldridge, UTEP, Sr.

DP/UT - Spencer Ferrell, North Texas, Jr

Preseason Player of the Year

Megan Low, UTSA, Sr.

Preseason Pitcher of the Year

Samantha Messer, Florida Atlantic, Sr.