UH tops WAC preseason softball poll

Coming off the most successful season in the program’s history, the Hawaii softball team topped the preseason Western Athletic Conference coaches poll released yesterday, receiving six out of a possible eight first-place votes.

The conference’s coaches also voted UH sophomore center fielder Kelly Majam the preseason player of the year and junior Stephanie Ricketts pitcher of the year.

Third baseman Melissa Gonzalez, outfielder Jenna Rodriguez and shortstop Jessica Iwata joined Majam and Ricketts on the preseason All-WAC team.

UH went 19-1 in WAC play last season to win its third league title on the way to a Women’s College World Series appearance. The Wahine, ranked eighth in the preseason USA Today/NFCA poll and 13th in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, open the season on Feb. 10 against Southern Utah in the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic.

Fresno State received the other two first-place votes. New Mexico State first baseman Hoku Nohara, a Kamehameha graduate, also made the preseason All-WAC team.