Trautwein Named Preseason Pitcher of the Year

DALLAS – Senior Hope Trautwein has been named the Conference USA Preseason Pitcher of the Year for the second season in a row, and Tayla Evans joined her on the Preseason All-Conference team, the league office announced Wednesday.

For Trautwein, this marks her third consecutive season earning preseason All-Conference distinction while Evans makes her second appearance on an All-Conference team after earning All-Freshman honors in 2019.

Along with the preseason All-Conference awards, the Mean Green were chosen by the league's 12 head coaches to finish first in the Conference USA West Division. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league has moved to division-only opponents for the upcoming season and will name a conference champion based on record at the conclusion of the regular season.

Trautwein's honor comes after an impressive resume from a shortened 2020 campaign. Through 15 appearances last season, the Pflugerville native's stat line boasted an 11-1 record, 1.64 ERA, .170 opponent batting average and 121 strikeouts through 81.0 innings pitched. Her strikeout, innings pitched and win totals were best in Conference USA. Trautwein also holds the Conference USA single-game strikeout record after striking out 21 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and February 21. She enters 2021 ranked second on the career strikeout list with 458 while also holding the program career records for ERA (2.21), opponent batting average (.204) and saves (8).

Evans earns preseason All-Conference distinction after starting all 24 games last year at first base and hitting .314 with 22 hits, five doubles, a triple, five home runs and 19 RBI. Her RBI total led the team and her five home runs tied her for second. Through the season, the Collinsville native fielded at a .965 clip, had a .395 on-base percentage and slugged at a .629 mark while also stealing four bases in five attempts. Evans opened the 2020 season with a home run in her first at-bat and recorded 50 career hits at Texas on February 19.

The Mean Green open their season next Saturday at the Lion Classic where they will take on Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville and Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond, Louisiana.

Conference USA Preseason All-Conference Team
Pitcher: Kelsey Aikey, RSr., WKU
Pitcher: Shelby Nunn, RJr., WKU
Pitcher: Hope Trautwein, Sr., North Texas
Catcher: Kendall Smith, RJr., WKU
Catcher: Bailey Vannoy, Jr., Charlotte
Infielder: Sierra Huerta, Sr., Marshall
Infielder: Summer Burgess, Gr., Middle Tennessee
Infielder: Lexi Cushing, Gr., Middle Tennessee
Infielder: Aly Harrell, Sr., Marshall
Infielder: Riley Grunberg, So., UTSA
Infielder: Tayla Evans, Jr., North Texas
Outfielder: Kasey Flores, Jr., UTEP
Outfielder: Mya Stevenson, Jr., Marshall
Outfielder: Celeste Loughman, Sr., UTSA
Outfielder: Madison Rayner, Jr., Southern Miss
DP/Utility: Saige Pye, Sr., Marshall

Preseason Player of the Year
Aly Harrell, Marshall (Senior, IF)

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Hope Trautwein, North Texas (Senior, RHP)

Predicted Order of Finish
EAST
1. WKU (8)
2. Marshall (3)
3. Charlotte (1)
4. Middle Tennessee
5. Florida Atlantic
6. FIU
WEST
1. North Texas (10)
2. UAB (1)
3. Southern Miss (1)
4. UTSA
5. Louisiana Tech
6. UTEP
(first place votes in parentheses)

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Players Mentioned

Tayla Evans

Hope Trautwein

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