University of North Texas Athletics
Waters Named To Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Softball Team
1/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
NEW ORLEANS (1/25/06) Junior third baseman Susan Waters was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team as the conference office announced its preseason coaches poll and team on Wednesday. As a team, North Texas was picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll.
A two-year starter, Waters has been one of North Texas’ top offensive threats. She has played in a team-leading 131 games in her career at North Texas and leads all players with 14 career home runs, 44 RBI and 18 doubles. In 2005, she led the team with five home runs and 20 RBI.
During the 2005 season, she was named to the Tulsa Invite All-Tournament Team and was Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week for her efforts. In one weekend, she batted .562, posted five doubles and six RBI in five games with a .862 slugging percentage.
Louisiana-Lafayette, ranked 18th nationally in the NFCA’s preseason poll, was the unanimous pick to repeat as champions for the seventh straight year. Newcomer Troy was selected second, while Western Kentucky was picked to finish third. The Mean Green has finished in fifth place the last two years. The poll and team were conducted by the six Sun Belt head coaches.
Reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year Danyele Gomez, a two-time NFCA All-American, was also chosen as the 2006 Preseason Player of the Year.
The Sun Belt also announced its 30th anniversary all-time team and former Mean Green player Stephanie Cranmer was named to the squad. Cranmer played on the inaugural 2004 North Texas team and was named to the first-team all-conference squad. She was named to the second team in 2005 as a senior and left North Texas as the career leader in batting average (.302), hits (114) and multi-hit games (34).
Sun Belt Conference Preseason Softball Coaches Poll
Sun Belt Teams Points
1. Louisiana-Lafayette (6) 36
2. Troy 27
3. Western Kentucky 23
4. Florida International 19
5. North Texas 13
6. Middle Tennessee 8
First place votes in parenthesis
Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team
P - Jocelyn McCallum (Troy, Sr.)
P - Adrienne Lathrop (Western Kentucky, Sr.)
C - Tabitha Embry (Florida International, Jr.)
1B - Lacey Bertucci (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr.)
2B - Brittany Bryant (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr.)
SS - Bailey Rolfs (Western Kentucky, Sr.)
3B - Susan Waters (North Texas, Junior)
OF - Deomni Murray (Florida International, Jr.)
OF - Danyele Gomez (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr.)
OF - Alana Towns (Western Kentucky, Jr.)
DP - Jennifer Powell (Florida International, Sr.)
Preseason Player of the Year: Danyele Gomez
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Adrienne Lathrop
All-Time Sun Belt Conference Softball Team
Jennifer Owens (FIU, 2001-04)
Amanda Nealer (FIU 2002-05)
Kelly Nicosia (FIU, 2000-02)
Stefni Whitton (UL Lafayette, 1987-90)
Brooke Mitchell (UL Lafayette, 2002-05)
Kyla Hall (UL Lafayette, 1991-94)
Lynn Britton (UL Lafayette, 1993-96)
Alana Addison (UL Lafayette, 1999-02)
Danyele Gomez (UL Lafayette, 2003-pres.)
Cortney Mitchell (MT, 2003-04)
Natalie Hanks (UL Lafayette, 2001-04)
Jennifer Martinez (MT, 1999-02)
Mel Briggs (NMSU, 1999-02)
Christine Stevens (NMSU, 1999-03)
Veronica Owens (NMSU, 2003-04)
Stephanie Cranmer (NT, 2004-2005)
Sara Alanis (WKU, 2000-02)
Shelly Floyd (WKU, 2002-05)
Riley Garcia (WKU, 2001-04)
Adrienne Lathrop (WKU, 2003-pres.)
Renita Pennington (WKU, 2002-05)
Jessie Richardson (WKU, 2000-02, 04)
Allison Silver (WKU, 2001-04)
