Gann, Hollett Named Preseason All-SBC

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Sun Belt Conference announced its 2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt softball team on Monday, with two Trojans earning spots on the prestigious list.

Hayden Gann and Nikki Hollett were each chosen by the league's nine head coaches as part of the 11-member team. The Trojans were one of just three teams with multiple selections as the season gets underway this weekend.

Gann, a senior first baseman from Hoover, Ala., was named Preseason All-Sun Belt after earning second team All-Sun Belt honors a year ago. Last season, she started all 59 games for the Trojans while hitting .318 with seven home runs and 31 RBI.

Gann also posted 10 doubles for a .494 slugging percentage and was walked 29 times, the second most on the team, for a .413 on-base percentage. She started nearly every game at first base and was tagged with just four errors for a .987 fielding percentage. She was disciplined at the plate and struck out just 14 times in 176 at bats. Gann enters her senior season already in Troy's career Top 10 for batting average, on-base percentage, doubles, home runs and walks.

Hollett, a senior third baseman from Melbourne, Australia, was named Preseason All-Sun Belt after earning NFCA All-Region honors a year ago. She started all 59 games and hit 20 home runs with 56 RBI. Her 20 home runs placed her seventh in the nation and helped her post a .795 slugging percentage, the 19th best mark in the country.

Hollett also batted a team-high .354 and posted 18 doubles in 59 games, placing her 33rd in the nation in that category. She was walked 15 times and posted a .402 on-base percentage

She native posted three multi-home run games, including one three home run game against San Jose State, just the third three-home run game in Sun Belt history. Hollett also scored a team-high 43 runs including five runs in the San Jose State game.

Her 20 home runs rank as the second most by a Trojan in a single season while her 56 RBI also rank second on the all-time list. Hollett enters the 2012 season ranked third on Troy's career home run chart with 33. She is also already in the career Top 10 in slugging percentage, doubles and RBI.

Gann, Hollett and the rest of the Trojans get their season underway on Friday as they travel to Hammond, La., for the three-day Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic. The Trojans will take on Jackson State and Kansas on Friday to kick-off the event.

Be sure to check back with TroyTrojans.com as Friday approaches for a full preview of the 2012 Trojans. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or become fans on Facebook.

2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team
Taylor Fawbush (Florida Atlantic, Junior, P)
Hannah Campbell (South Alabama, Sophomore, P)
Karavin Dew (Western Kentucky, Junior, C)
Hayden Gann (Troy, Senior, 1B)
Lisa Johnson (North Texas, Senior, 2B)
Nerissa Myers (Louisiana-Lafayette, Junior, SS)
Nikki Hollett (Troy, Senior, 3B)
Ashley McClain (FIU, Senior, OF)
Katie Smith (Louisiana-Lafayette, Senior, OF)
Brittany Fowler (South Alabama, Junior, OF)
Christi Orgeron (Louisiana-Lafayette, Senior, U)

Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Hannah Campbell, South Alabama
Preseason Player of the Year: Christi Orgeron, Louisiana-Lafayette

Preseason Sun Belt Coaches' Poll
Voted on by the league's head coaches
(First place votes in parenthesis)

1. Louisiana-Lafayette - 80 (8)
2. South Alabama - 64
3. Florida Atlantic - 62
4. FIU - 49
5. Troy - 40
5. WKU - 40 (1)
7. North Texas - 29
8. Louisiana-Monroe - 26
9. Middle Tennessee - 15

Troy University Athletics

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