Softball Lands the Most Players on the SoCon All-Conference Teams

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference released its annual preseason poll and all-conference softball teams Thursday.

Georgia Southern placed the most players from any one team on the first and second team preseason lists with six.

Four Lady Eagles were selected to the first team including: Jenny Side (Loganville, Ga.), Nina Iduate (Norcross, Ga.), Amanda Hall (Haddock, Ga.) and Robyne Siliga (Oceanside, Calif.). The first team includes most of Georgia Southern’s stellar infield and Siliga the returning player of the year. She hit .379, 11 home runs and drove in 54 runs last season.

“Her track record says so much for her potential for this year,” said head coach Maggie Johnson. “It is amazing to watch her hit the ball, and she is playing great defensively right now. She doesn’t get cheated at the plate and when she swings, she hits the ball hard.”

Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) and Michelle Beasley (Metter, Ga.) represented Georgia Southern on the second team Preseason All-Southern Conference list.

Georgia Southern was tabbed to finish fourth in the conference behind Chattanooga, College of Charleston and Elon.

The Lady Eagles are coming off three straight SoCon tournament final appearances and won the title in 2006.

Georgia Southern’s hunt for a fourth straight title appearance starts with the season opener against Troy February 13^th at Eagle Field.

“We have been practicing a week now, and we are really trying to keep up the intensity. A lot of the drills that I do I try to put them into pressure situations so that later when it comes time to make a key play in the game, they are able to respond well.”

Preseason Poll (1^st Votes)             Total Points

1. Chattanooga (8)                                 64

2. College of Charleston                         55

3. Elon (1)                                             48

4. Georgia Southern                               37

5. UNC Greensboro                                34

6. Samford                                             29

7. Furman                                              24

8. Appalachian State                              19

9. Western Carolina                                14

First Team Preseason All-Southern Conference

P – Brooke Loudermilk – Chattanooga

P – Hannah Angel – UNC Greensboro

C – Jenny Side – Georgia Southern  

1B – Michelle Fuzzard – Chattanooga

2B – Nina Iduate – Georgia Southern  

SS – Amanda Hall – Georgia Southern  

3B – Robyne Siliga – Georgia Southern  

OF – Tiffany Harmon – College of Charleston

OF – Laci Upchurch – Chattanooga

OF – Jessica Owens – Samford

DP – Shannon Howard – College of Charleston

UT – Katie Boyd – Appalachian State

Second Team Preseason All-Southern Conference

P – Megen Smith – Georgia Southern  

P – Kandice Irwin – Chattanooga

C – Jaimie Rao – Elon

1B – Brythe Blankenship – Furman

2B – Jacqueline Gonzalez – Elon

SS – Stephanie Cushing – Furman

3B – Toni Hutchison – Chattanooga

OF – Michelle Beasley – Georgia Southern  

OF – Meredith Mielke – Furman

OF – Aaren Fisher – Samford

DP – Amber Hawkins – Western Carolina

UT – Mollie Fowler – Western Carolina

Category: Softball

Published on Thursday, 29 January 2009 17:25