Jan. 16, 2008
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF softball team has been picked to finish third in the 2008 Conference USA Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll league officials announced Wednesday. Defending C-USA Champion Houston was tabbed to finish first, while East Carolina was ranked second.
UCF went 38-26 last season and finished fourth in the league standings, but made an impressive run to the C-USA Championship semifinals before falling to runner-up East Carolina. The Knights return 12 letterwinners from last season's squad.
Junior Breanne Javier (Castaic, Calif.) and senior Allison Kime (Brandon, Fla.) earned Preseason All-C-USA honors, making UCF one of four teams to have two players named to the team.
Javier, a 2007 All-C-USA First Team pick, led the league in chances (551), putouts (518) and fielding double plays (18) last season, all of which are UCF single-season records. The first baseman ranked second on the team in batting average (.326), slugging percentage (.411), hits (62), RBI (25) and doubles (11).
A 2007 All-Southeast Region first team selection, Kime had the fourth-best ERA in the country at the conclusion of last year with a 0.87 mark through 40 appearances and 266.1 innings pitched. Her ERA also set a UCF single-season record, along with setting individual-season records for lowest opponent batting average (.159), most strikeouts per seven innings (6.99), most shutouts (15) and most strikeouts (266).
The Knights began practice for the 2008 season last week. The team will make its 2008 debut in the UCF Softball Complex when they host the UCF Tournament Feb. 8-10 facing-off against Illinois State, NC State, Kansas and Central Arkansas. Season tickets for the 2008 season are now available and can be purchased by calling 407-UCF-1000.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pics.
2008 C-USA Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll
1. Houston
2. East Carolina
3. UCF
4. Tulsa
5. Marshall
2008 Preseason All-Conference Team
Rachel Folden, Sr., C, Marshall
Jessica Valis, Jr., IF, Houston *
Breanne Javier, Jr., IF, UCF
Sara Dyer, Sr., IF, Tulsa
Jessica Johnson, Jr., IF, ECU
Samantha Rodriguez, Sr., IF, Marshall
Megan Hill, So., OF, Southern Miss
Katie Bush, Jr., OF, Houston
Ashley Ellis, So., OF, UTEP
Charina Sumner, So., OF, ECU
Angel Shamblin, Jr., P, Houston #
Allison Kime, Sr., P, UCF
Leila Dolfo, Jr., UT, Memphis
Jackie Lawrence, So., DP, Tulsa
* Preseason Player of the Year
# Preseason Pitcher of the Year
-UCF-