University of North Texas Athletics
Trautwein, Gregory, Clark In Preseason All-CUSA
1/18/2019 12:00:00 PM | Softball
DALLAS - Three North Texas softball athletes found their way into the 2019 Preseason All-Conference USA Team the league office announced on Friday. Junior outfielder Katie Clark, sophomore pitcher Hope Trautwein and junior infielder Lacy Gregory were recognized by CUSA. It is Gregory's second straight year on the list.Â
She was the Mean Green's only representative in last year's team.Â
"They had great seasons last year," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "They're good players. It's good to see they're respected coming into the season. Hopefully they're geared up and ready to go for a big season. Kudos to them for getting the recognition."
Gregory finds the list after starting in all but one game for the Mean Green in 2018. She finished fifth in league RBI (40) and home runs (10) while coming in at seventh in slugging percentage (.625). She led the team in almost all offensive categories including RBI, slugging percentage, doubles (11), triples (2), total bases (95) and multi-RBI games (nine). She earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors for her performances in 2018.Â
Trautwein shined in her freshman season at North Texas. She also earned a spot on the All-Conference USA Second Team with addition to the All-Freshman team in 2018. She was third in CUSA with 168 strikeouts, and struck 44 batters out looking. She had arguably one of the top three seasons for a North Texas pitcher ever, as she finished with the third-most strikeouts, fourth-most wins, fifth-most appearances (41) and seventh-best ERA in single-season program history. She earned Co-Pitcher of the Week honors from the conference once last season.Â
Clark joined North Texas last season after a year at Stephen F. Austin, and immediately made her name known in CUSA. Clark was named the Newcomer of the Year for 2018 and earned Second Team All-Conference honors. She stole the eighth most bases in CUSA with 18 while batting .375 and starting 47 of 52 games in center field for the Mean Green. Her batting average mark was good enough for fifth in single-season program history, while she stole the second most bases in single-season program history in 2018. She reached base safely in 21-straight games from March 24-May 5 with a near .500 OBP in that span.Â
After a 25-27 overall mark, and a 11-12 record in CUSA play, the Mean Green are tabbed to finish 4th in the 2019 pre-season poll. In 2018, the Mean Green were tabbed to finish 8th and ultimately entered the CUSA tournament as the seven-seed. Last year's tournament winners check in at six in Middle Tennessee. Runners-up Florida Atlantic finds itself in the number two spot again. Â
"It's nice to be seen in that light," DeLong said. "It doesn't really mean anything to us. We haven't done anything yet. We're going to work hard and try and out-do that. It's good to see that there is some respect."
The Mean Green open the season on the road in just 21 days. The 2019 season will open in College Station as Texas A&M will host Northern Colorado, California Baptist and the Mean Green in a round-robin tournament. North Texas opens with a double-header on Friday February 8 with Northern Colorado at 10 a.m. and California Baptist at 12:15 p.m.
2019 Preseason Player of the Year
Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
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2019 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech
Â
2019 Preseason All-Conference Team
P: Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech
P: Hope Trautwein, North Texas
P: Mia Olson, Florida Atlantic
C: Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
C: Samantha Papp, Southern Miss
INF: Aly Harrell, Marshall
INF: Natalie Erwin, UAB
INF: Lacy Gregory, North Texas
INF: Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
INF: Lexi Cushing, Middle Tennessee
OF: Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
OF: Bailee Baldwin, UTSA
OF: Madisyn Palmer, Florida Atlantic
OF: Jackie Schoff, FIU
OF: Katie Clark, North Texas
UT/DP: Sloane Stewartson, Louisiana Tech
2019 Conference USA Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
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She was the Mean Green's only representative in last year's team.Â
"They had great seasons last year," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "They're good players. It's good to see they're respected coming into the season. Hopefully they're geared up and ready to go for a big season. Kudos to them for getting the recognition."
Gregory finds the list after starting in all but one game for the Mean Green in 2018. She finished fifth in league RBI (40) and home runs (10) while coming in at seventh in slugging percentage (.625). She led the team in almost all offensive categories including RBI, slugging percentage, doubles (11), triples (2), total bases (95) and multi-RBI games (nine). She earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors for her performances in 2018.Â
Trautwein shined in her freshman season at North Texas. She also earned a spot on the All-Conference USA Second Team with addition to the All-Freshman team in 2018. She was third in CUSA with 168 strikeouts, and struck 44 batters out looking. She had arguably one of the top three seasons for a North Texas pitcher ever, as she finished with the third-most strikeouts, fourth-most wins, fifth-most appearances (41) and seventh-best ERA in single-season program history. She earned Co-Pitcher of the Week honors from the conference once last season.Â
Clark joined North Texas last season after a year at Stephen F. Austin, and immediately made her name known in CUSA. Clark was named the Newcomer of the Year for 2018 and earned Second Team All-Conference honors. She stole the eighth most bases in CUSA with 18 while batting .375 and starting 47 of 52 games in center field for the Mean Green. Her batting average mark was good enough for fifth in single-season program history, while she stole the second most bases in single-season program history in 2018. She reached base safely in 21-straight games from March 24-May 5 with a near .500 OBP in that span.Â
After a 25-27 overall mark, and a 11-12 record in CUSA play, the Mean Green are tabbed to finish 4th in the 2019 pre-season poll. In 2018, the Mean Green were tabbed to finish 8th and ultimately entered the CUSA tournament as the seven-seed. Last year's tournament winners check in at six in Middle Tennessee. Runners-up Florida Atlantic finds itself in the number two spot again. Â
"It's nice to be seen in that light," DeLong said. "It doesn't really mean anything to us. We haven't done anything yet. We're going to work hard and try and out-do that. It's good to see that there is some respect."
The Mean Green open the season on the road in just 21 days. The 2019 season will open in College Station as Texas A&M will host Northern Colorado, California Baptist and the Mean Green in a round-robin tournament. North Texas opens with a double-header on Friday February 8 with Northern Colorado at 10 a.m. and California Baptist at 12:15 p.m.
2019 Preseason Player of the Year
Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
Â
2019 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech
Â
2019 Preseason All-Conference Team
P: Preslee Gallaway, Louisiana Tech
P: Hope Trautwein, North Texas
P: Mia Olson, Florida Atlantic
C: Marilyn Rizzato, Louisiana Tech
C: Samantha Papp, Southern Miss
INF: Aly Harrell, Marshall
INF: Natalie Erwin, UAB
INF: Lacy Gregory, North Texas
INF: Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
INF: Lexi Cushing, Middle Tennessee
OF: Morgan Turkoly, Louisiana Tech
OF: Bailee Baldwin, UTSA
OF: Madisyn Palmer, Florida Atlantic
OF: Jackie Schoff, FIU
OF: Katie Clark, North Texas
UT/DP: Sloane Stewartson, Louisiana Tech
2019 Conference USA Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
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Players Mentioned
Thursday, March 26
Monday, March 16
Wednesday, March 04
Friday, February 20