NEW ORLEANS – The Coastal Carolina softball team was selected to finish fourth in the Sun Belt Conference Coaches' Poll, while Georgia Hood earned an All-Sun Belt preseason selection, the conference announced Wednesday.
 
The 2025 Sun Belt regular-season champions, Texas State, were picked to finish first with 138 votes and eight first-place selections. ULM followed in second with 113 votes, while Louisiana placed third with 109 votes and one first-place nod. Coastal Carolina came in fourth, earning 104 votes and two first-place votes.
 
Marshall rounded out the top five with 100 votes, followed by App State (85 votes) and James Madison (75 votes). Separated by just one vote, Georgia Southern (64 votes) and Troy (63 votes) claimed the eighth and ninth spots, respectively. South Alabama (42 votes), Southern Miss (29 votes), and Georgia State (14 votes) closed out the poll in 10th, 11th, and 12th place.
 
Hood was Coastal's lone selection to the preseason team after a decorated 2025 season highlighted by NFCA All-America, NFCA All-Region, and All-Sun Belt honors. She also finished the season ranked 14th nationally with 21 home runs.
 
The Chants are set to open the 2026 season on Feb. 6-8 as they host Arkansas, Virginia, and Akron for the Kickin' Chicken Classic.
 
Tickets are available to purchase here.
 
2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Awards

Preseason Player of the Year
Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Sr., 1B – College Station, Texas)

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Madison Azua, Texas State (Jr., LHP – Round Rock, Texas)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
P Madison Azua, Texas State (Jr., LHP – Round Rock, Texas)
P Alana Barnard, Georgia Southern (Sr., RHP – Statesboro, Ga.)
C Megan Kelnar, Texas State (Sr., C – Kyle, Texas)
1B Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Sr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
1B Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina (5th., 1B – Mount Gambier, Australia)
2B Morgan Brown, ULM (R-So., 2B – Katy, Texas)
2B Makayla McClain, App State (Sr., 2B – Liberty, N.C.)
3B Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama (Jr., 3B – Liberty, Mo.)
3B Cali Legzdin, James Madison (So., 3B – Beaver Falls, Pa.)
SS Grace Barrett, App State (Jr., SS – Milton, Ga.)
OF Meagan Brown, ULM (Jr., OF – Katy, Texas)
OF Hannah Christian, Southern Miss (So., OF – Hoover, Ala.)
OF Diamond Leslie, Marshall (So., OF – Alpharetta, Ga.)
OF Brooklin Lippert, ULM (Jr., OF – Loganville, Ga.)
DP Payton List, James Madison (R-Jr., DP – Beaver, Pa.)
 
2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll 

1. Texas State (8) – 138
2. ULM – 113
3. Louisiana (1) – 109
4. Coastal Carolina (2) – 104
5. Marshall (1) – 100
6. App State – 85
7. James Madison – 75
8. Georgia Southern – 64
9. Troy – 63
10. South Alabama – 42
11. Southern Miss – 29
12. Georgia State – 14 

(First-place votes in parentheses)
 
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