Troy University Athletics
Third-ranked Trojans place two on All-Conference Team.
2/3/2009 6:00:00 AM | Softball
NEW ORLEANS - The Troy Trojans softball team had two players named to the Sun Belt Preseason
All-Conference Team.
Senior outfielder Heidi Johnson and last season's Sun Belt freshman of the year
pitcher Ashlyn Williams were the Trojans to receive all-conference honors.
“They are both very deserving of those honors,” Trojans head coach Melanie
Davis said. “Heidi Johnson has been a three year all-conference player, and she
returns for her senior season. She's had a great career here for us, and we're
looking for her to finish in a big way as a senior in the outfield and in the heart
of our batting order. Ashlyn Williams' accomplishments as a pure freshman last
year spoke for themselves, and it's very exciting to me for the league coaches to
respect both of these young ladies to the extent of selecting them all-
conference. Ashlyn did a great job for us throughout the season last year. We're
counting on big things from her this season, both in non-conference and
conference play.”
The Trojans also picked up the honor of being ranked in the top three of the
Sun Belt's pre-season poll.
“It's a compliment to be picked in the top three teams in the league,” Davis
said. “The Sun Belt is a very strong conference and it gets better and better
every season.”
The Trojans were selected third behind Florida-Atlantic.
Louisiana-Lafayette was tabbed as the league favorite by all nine coaches.
“We certainly understand the reasoning why Lafayette was picked number one,”
Davis said. “They represented our conference very well making it all the way to
the World Series, and they knocked off the number one ranked Florida Gators.
We are happy to be in the top three, and we're looking to defend that seeding.
We're looking forward to pursuing a conference title and a conference
tournament championship this season.”
The Trojans open conference play on the road at Middle Tennessee on March
10.
Preseason All-Conference Team (As voted on by the league's 9 head coaches)
Ashley Brignac (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., Pitcher)
Ashlyn Williams (Troy, So., Pitcher)
Lana Bowers (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., Catcher)
Lindsay Antone (WKU, Jr., First Base)
Katie Smith (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., Second Base)
Blair Bodenmiller (Florida Atlantic, Jr., Shortstop)
Rebecca Horesky (WKU, Sr., Third Base)
Kim Rodriguez (FIU, Sr., Outfield)
Karli Hubbard (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., Outfield)
Heidi Johnson (Troy, Sr., Outfield)
Vallie Gaspard (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., Designated Player)
Preseason Player of the Year: Kim Rodriguez (FIU, Sr., Outfield)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Ashley Brignac (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., Pitcher)
Preseason Coaches Poll (As voted on by the league's 9 head coaches ? first place
votes in parenthesis)
1. Louisiana-Lafayette (9) 81
2. Florida Atlantic 67
3. Troy 59
4. FIU 53
5. North Texas 44
6. Middle Tennessee 34
7. WKU 33
8. ULM 23
9. South Alabama 11
