NEW ORLEANS, LA. - With one week away until the start of the 2019 season, the Sun Belt Conference released its 2019 preseason all-conference softball selections along with the preseason coaches poll.
Sophomore
Courtney Dean, was selected by the league as one of its 15 preseason selections after her stellar 2018 where she garnered a first team all-conference.
Dean led all freshman with a .345 batting average, 15 home runs, and 39 runs batted in. Overall, the Indian Trail, North Carolina native was ninth best in batting average, second in home runs, and third in RBI.
Louisiana led the balloting for all Sun Belt schools with four selections. Troy, Texas State, UTA, and ULM had two each. Along with CCU, Georgia State and Appalachian State each had one selection.
In the preseason coaches poll, the Chanticleers were voted to tie for eighth with ULM. Louisiana is the overwhelming favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference in 2019 as they received four place votes and tallied 98 points. Last year's regular season and conference tournament champions, Texas State Wildcats received on first-place vote with 88 points. Troy was the only other school to receive a first place vote as they rounded out the top three with 82 points.
You can catch Dean and her team Friday, February 8 at 2 and 4:15 p.m. as they start the 2019 season with No. 8 Tennessee followed by Rider.
For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSB (twitter), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (facebook) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at goccusports.com.
2019 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
| Summer Ellyson, Louisiana (Jr., P, Lafayette, La.) 1 |
| Annie Willis, Troy (So., P, Huntsville, Ala.) 1 |
| Lexie Comeaux, Louisiana (Sr., C, Tomball, Texas) |
| Reagan Wright, UTA (Jr., C, Mansfield, Texas) 1 |
| Haleigh Davis, Texas State (Jr., C, Houston, Texas) 2 |
| Hailey MacKay, Texas State (Jr., 1B, Leander, Texas) 1 |
| Katie Webb, Troy (Jr., 1B, Salem, Ala.) 2 |
| Kristin Hawkins, Georgia State (RSr., 2B, Dacula, Ga.) |
| Kara Gremillion, Louisiana (Sr., 3B, Gonzales, La.) 1 |
| Alissa Dalton, Louisiana (Jr., SS, Cypress, Texas)* 1 |
| Jayden Mount, ULM (Jr., SS, Longview, Texas) 2 |
| Courtney Dean, Coastal Carolina (So., OF, Indian Trail, N.C.) 1 |
| Sydney McKay, ULM (Sr., OF, Pearland, Texas) 1 |
| Laura Curry, UTA (Sr., OF, Temecula, Calif.) 1 |
| Jenny Dodd, Appalachian State (Sr., DP/C, Mocksville, N.C.) 2 |
Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year
Alissa Dalton, Louisiana (Jr., SS, Cypress, Texas)*
1
Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Summer Ellyson, Louisiana (Jr., P, Lafayette, La.)
1
1 2018 First Team All-Sun Belt selection
2 2018 Second Team All-Sun Belt selection
*2018 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year
