Huskers Picked Fifth in Big 12 Preseason Poll

The Nebraska softball team was picked to finish fifth in the 2009 Big 12 Conference preseason coaches’ poll, released on Friday. Oklahoma received nine of 10 first-place votes to earn the coaches’ selection for preseason Big 12 champion.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Missouri was picked to finish second, while defending Big 12 champion and national runner-up Texas A&M earned the other first-place vote and was third, while Texas was fourth.

 

The Huskers return every starter from last year’s team, which finished 25-28 overall and tied for ninth in the final conference standings with a 4-14 league record. Nebraska began building momentum for 2009 with a strong finish last season, as the Huskers upset No. 10 Oklahoma on NU’s way to earning a runner-up finish at the Big 12 Championship. NU returns every starter from last year’s team and Crystal Gonzalez, who earned 23 starts in 2007, also returns to the lineup after missing last season while recovering from a knee injury.

 

NU will rely heavily on its seven-player senior class this season, the largest senior class in the 17-year tenure of Head Coach Rhonda Revelle. Each senior possesses the talent to perform at an All-Big 12 level, as four have already earned all-conference accolades during their career.

 

Nebraska also adds six talented newcomers this season. Leading the way is junior All-American Robin Mackin, who pitched at Fresno State in 2006 and 2007 and took last season off while training with Team Canada for the Beijing Olympics. The other five newcomers are all freshmen, including four in-state products and the Huskers’ first freshman from New York in the NCAA era.

 

The Big 12 Conference enters its 14th season of competition in 2009. Nebraska has won three regular-season titles, which ties Texas and Oklahoma for the most championships among the league schools. The Huskers’ last title came in 2004, when Nebraska was picked second in the preseason poll.

 

Big 12 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll

Team (first-place votes)           Points

1. Oklahoma (9)                       81

2. Missouri                              68

3. Texas A&M (1)                    60

4. Texas                                 58

5. Nebraska                           46        

6. Baylor                                44

7. Oklahoma State                  40        

8. Kansas                               25

9. Texas Tech                         15

10. Iowa State                         13

 

**Points were awarded nine for first, eight for second, etc.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their teams.