RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech was represented by center fielder
Sierra Sacco and shortstop
Amanda Gonzalez on the 2023 Conference USA Softball Preseason All-Conference team, the league announced Thursday.
LA Tech is coming off an impressive 2022 campaign which culminated in a 39-20 record and a Regular Season C-USA Championship in head coach
Josh Taylor's first year at the helm.
Sacco, the reigning C-USA Freshman of the Year, is one of the top center fielders in collegiate softball and was recently named a Top-100 player by both D1 Softball and Extra Innings Softball. The Marrero, La., product is the NCAA active career leader in batting average (.441) and is coming off a 2022 campaign that saw her tally a school record 83 hits, in addition to 51 runs, 24 RBI and 28 stolen bases. Sacco ranked among the national leaders in hits (5th), batting average (8th), on-base percentage (14th) and stolen bases (30th). The sophomore standout enters the 2023 season, having reached base safely in 31 consecutive games.
Gonzalez earned first-team honors in 2022 after a season that saw her hit .363 with 57 hits, nine doubles, four triples and seven home runs while scoring 33 runs, recording 28 RBI and stealing 8 bases. She led Conference USA in assists with 158 and ranked among the team leaders in multi-hit games and multi-RBI contests with 19 and nine, respectively.
It marked the first time Tech had multiple representatives on the preseason all-conference squad since 2020.
LA Tech was tabbed to finish fourth by the league's ten head coaches with 74 total votes, four points behind Charlotte, who came in third with 78 votes. North Texas topped the poll with 99 total votes, including nine first-place votes, followed by Western Kentucky in second with 82 points.
The selection marks the highest predicted finish for Louisiana Tech since 2020 when the Techsters were tabbed third.
The Lady Techsters will open the season on Saturday, Feb. 11, when they host Southeast Missouri State for game one of a three-game series at 4 p.m. at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
2023 Conference USA Preseason Poll
|
Rank
|
School (first-place votes)
|
Total
|
|
1.
|
North Texas (9)
|
99
|
|
2.
|
WKU
|
82
|
|
3.
|
Charlotte (1)
|
78
|
|
4.
|
LA Tech
|
74
|
|
T5.
|
Florida Atlantic
|
56
|
|
T5.
|
UAB
|
56
|
|
7.
|
UTSA
|
39
|
|
T8.
|
FIU
|
25
|
|
T8.
|
Middle Tennessee
|
25
|
|
10.
|
UTEP
|
16
|
C-USA Softball Preseason Player of the Year
Bailey Vannoy, Charlotte
C-USA Softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Ashley Peters, North Texas
C-USA Softball Preseason All-Conference Team
|
Name
|
Yr.
|
Pos.
|
Hometown
|
|
Kaeli Christensen, North Texas
|
Jr.
|
C
|
McKinney, Texas
|
|
Sierra Frazier, UAB*
|
Sr.
|
C
|
Corona, Calif.
|
|
Ella Chancey, Charlotte*
|
So.
|
IF
|
Athens, Ga.
|
|
Kailey Gamble, North Texas*
|
Jr.
|
IF
|
Oklahoma City, Okla.
|
|
Amanda Gonzalez, LA Tech*
|
Sr.
|
IF
|
Santa Monica, Calif.
|
|
Kat Ibarra, UTSA*
|
Jr.
|
IF
|
Katy, Texas
|
|
Lindsey Smith, UAB
|
So.
|
IF
|
Hayden, Ala.
|
|
Sara Berthiaume, Florida Atlantic*
|
Sr.
|
OF
|
Coconut Creek, Fla.
|
|
Lexi Cobb, North Texas*
|
Jr.
|
OF
|
Silver Lake, Kan.
|
|
Taylor Davis, WKU*
|
Sr.
|
OF
|
Madison, Ala.
|
|
Sierra Sacco, LA Tech*
|
So.
|
OF
|
Marrero, La.
|
|
Bailey Vannoy, Charlotte*
|
Gr.
|
OF
|
Leander, Texas
|
|
Marena Estell, UTSA
|
Gr.
|
DP/UT
|
Hooks, Texas
|
|
Lynn Gardner, Florida Atlantic*
|
Gr.
|
P
|
Mobile, Ala.
|
|
Ashley Peters, North Texas*
|
Sr.
|
P
|
Rock Island, Ill.
|
|
Skylar Savage, North Texas*
|
So.
|
P
|
Van, Texas
|
* - 2022 all-conference selection
