Coaches Pick Southeastern to Win 2019 Sun Conference Title
Paul Dodson
NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – For the third-straight year, the Southeastern Fire have been selected as the favorite in the Preseason Sun Conference Coaches’ Poll, as voted on by the league’s nine head coaches.
Coaches were unable to vote for their own team.
The Fire received four of nine first-place votes and finished with 59 total points. Last season, Southeastern notched its fourth-straight 40-win season en route to capping off 2018 with a fourth consecutive trip to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round. Featuring TSC Freshman of the Year and Second-Team All-American Haleigh Harrell, SEU ended its season with a 40-18 (18-6 TSC) record, recording the third-most wins in the Fire's brief history.
The defending TSC Regular Season and Tournament Champion Thomas Night Hawks finished second in the voting with a total of 54 points and four first-place votes. Led by First-Team All-American and TSC Pitcher of the Year Lauren West and TSC Coach of the Year Bill Wilson, Thomas earned a berth in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round and finished the year with a 39-16 (19-5 TSC) record.
Warner was selected third in this year’s poll with 51 points. Last season, the Lady Royals (37-18, 17-7 TSC), featuring the TSC Player of the Year and Second-Team All-American Sara Bruno, tied the school record for wins with 37.
The remaining first-place vote went to USCB, who finished fourth in the voting with 48 points. The Sand Sharks (35-21, 12-12 TSC) were last year’s TSC Championship runner-up, winning three-straight games in the elimination bracket, before falling to Thomas in the title game.
Keiser (33), Ave Maria (26) and Webber International (23) were picked to finish fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. Rounding out the poll were Coastal Georgia (20) and St. Thomas (10).
The 2019 Sun Conference Softball Championship is set for May 2-4 at the Legends Way Ballfields at PFX Athletics in Clermont, Florida, with the tournament champion earning the league’s automatic bid to the NAIA Opening Round.
The 38th Annual NAIA Softball World Series will take place May 23-29 in Springfield, Missouri, with the opening rounds taking place May 13-15 on campus sites.
The 2019 NAIA Softball Preseason Coaches' poll will be released on Tuesday, January 15.
2019 Sun Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll [First Place Votes]
1) Southeastern – 59 [4]
2) Thomas – 54 [4]
3) Warner – 51
4) USCB – 48 [1]
5) Keiser – 33
6) Ave Maria – 26
7) Webber International – 23
8) Coastal Georgia – 20
9) St. Thomas – 10