2020 Big West Softball Coaches Preseason Poll
The 2020 softball season is just a few weeks away and the league's eight coaches have chosen four-time champion Cal State Fullerton to defend its crown once again. The Titans earned six of the eight first place votes on their way to 62 points, eight points better than second place Long Beach State who claimed the other two first place votes. Hawai'i was third with 46 points, CSUN fourth with 37, UC Davis fifth with 30 points, UC Riverside sixth with 28 points, Cal Poly seventh with 17 points and UC Santa Barbara eighth with 14 points.
Below are team capsules of the top half of the poll.
CAL STATE FULLERTON
• 2019 Record: 38-18 (18-3 Big West - 1st)
• Head Coach: Kelly Ford (8th season - 248-153-1)
• Returning All-Conference players: Deshea Hill (1st - OF), Dani Martinez (1st - P), Sophie Frost (2nd - P), Daisy Munoz (2nd - 1B), Alexa Neil (2nd - UT), Julia Valenzuela (2nd - C), Kelsie Whitmore (2nd - OF)
• Four-time defending Big West champion, a fifth straight title would be one away from tying consecutive title record in Big West
• Six consecutive 30-win seasons, longest current streak in the Big West
• Have one at least one NCAA Regional game in three of the last four seasons
• Martinez (17-8, 2.24 ERA, 146 K, 8 CG) and Frost (13-5, 2.61 ERA, 87 K, 6 CG) lead a pitching staff that recorded a 2.62 ERA, 277 strikeouts and allowed just 323 hits in 372.0 innings
LONG BEACH STATE
• 2019 Record: 25-25 (12-9 Big West - 4th)
• Head Coach: Kim Sowder (14th season - 424-283-1)
• Returning All-Conference players: Alyssa Gonzales (2nd - 1B/OF), Ashley Coleman (HM - P), Naomi Hernandez (HM - OF), Taylor Rowland (HM - UT), Maddy Ruffin (HM - OF), Kellie White (HM - P)
• First victory of the 2020 season will give Sowder fourth place all-time in Big West coaching history, also just 19 conference wins shy of 200
• Five NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 10 years, seven total under Sowder
• Added transfers Abby Lockman (Tennessee) and Kyra Snyder (Louisville) to go along with five incoming freshmen from Southern California
• Top returnee Alyssa Gonzales hit .338 with 5 HR, 40 RBI, 10 2B and 50 H in 2019
HAWAI'I
• 2019 Record: 33-16 (14-7 Big West - 2nd)
• Head Coach: Bob Coolen (13th season - 399-288)
• Returning All-Conference players: Callee Heen (1st - 1B/C), Cheeks Ramos (HM - UT), Brittnee Rossi (HM - OF)
• Rainbow Wahine were +10 in the win column from the previous season and recorded highest finish in league play since 2013
• Coolen's next victory will make him just sixth coach to win 400 games in the Big West
• Heen led league in 2019 in home runs (15) and walks (31), while also ranking second in RBI (46), fifth in total bases (97), sixth in batting (.374) and second in slugging (.789)
CSUN
• 2019 Record: 26-28 (10-11 Big West)
• Head Coach: Tairia Flowers (10th season - 243-254)
• Returning All-Conference players: Jillian James (1st - P), Megan Stevens (1st - OF), Jessica Alexander (2nd - SS), Kiarra Crockett-Pope (2nd - 1B)
• Stevens led the league in 2019 in batting (.430), RBI (55), slugging (.866), on-base percentage (.535) and doubles (20), while also ranking second in homers (13), walks (30) and third in hits (64)
• In 2019, James ranked third in the league in wins (19), third in complete games (15), third in ERA (2.19), first in innings pitched (210.2), second in strikeouts (218), second in appearances (42), first in games started (33) and third in opponents' batting average (.206)
• Crockett-Pope was named Co-Freshman Field Player of the Year in 2019, committing only two errors in 293 chances for a .993 fielding percentage while batting .305 in conference play
Coaches Poll Results
1. Cal State Fullerton (6) 62
2. Long Beach State (2) 54
3. Hawai'i 46
4. CSUN 37
5. UC Davis 30
6. UC Riverside 28
7. Cal Poly 17
8. UC Santa Barbara 14
( ) First-place votes