COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Coming off of its first conference championship in program history, the Boise State softball team was predicted to defend their Mountain West title in a poll of the conference’s coaches. The Broncos garnered eight of the nine first-place votes (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team) for 64 points.
Fresno State was picked to finish second, earning the final first-place vote and 57 points, while San José State (50 points) was predicted third.
This is the first time Boise State has been selected as the preseason favorite, dating back to the program’s days in the WAC (2009-11). Prior to today’s announcement the highest the Broncos had been predicted to finish in conference was third (2011, WAC; 2012, Mountain West; 2014, Mountain West).
“The preseason vote is truly a testament to last year’s championship team, and the group of returners we are fortunate to have coming back,” said first-year head coach Maggie Livreri. “We have some nice additions to those returners, and we are looking forward to getting on the playing field with this year’s group. It’s a long season, and we’re focused on playing one game at a time. Next week’s trip to Austin will be a good test for us right out of the gate. A competitive preseason schedule should prepare us for the rigors of the Mountain West Conference.”
The Broncos are returning plenty of the firepower – offensively and defensively – that propelled them to the 2018 title. Boise State returns six of the eight players to make 40+ starts last season, including the only two players to appear in all 56 games – Rebekah Cervantes and Alison Seng.
In 2018, Cervantes became the first player since Tara Glover (2012) to be named the conference player of the year, while Seng and junior pitcher Kelsey Broadus were named the freshman and pitcher of the year, respectively. All three return in 2019.
The trio was named to the All-Mountain West and All-Pacific Region teams last spring, while Ashlyn Adams and Kora Wade are also returners who garnered All-Pacific Region honors.
Of the team’s record-setting offense in 2018, Boise State returns the majority of its runs (74%), hits (73%) and extra-base hits (69%). The Broncos will be just as experienced in the circle, as they return the only three players to log more than 60 innings last season, and return more than 90-percent of their innings pitched (91%), wins (95%), strikeouts (91%) and complete games (100%).
The Broncos will open their season Friday, Feb. 8, at the Texas Classic in Austin, Texas. Boise State, which received four points in the preseason USA Today/NFCA poll, will play Boston College, Northwestern State and No. 16 Texas.
Rank Team Points (1st place votes)
1. Boise State 64 (8)
2. Fresno State 57 (1)
3. San José State 50
4. UNLV 35
5. San Diego State 31
6. Nevada 29
7. Colorado State 26
8. Utah State 21
9. New Mexico 11
Fresno State was picked to finish second, earning the final first-place vote and 57 points, while San José State (50 points) was predicted third.
This is the first time Boise State has been selected as the preseason favorite, dating back to the program’s days in the WAC (2009-11). Prior to today’s announcement the highest the Broncos had been predicted to finish in conference was third (2011, WAC; 2012, Mountain West; 2014, Mountain West).
“The preseason vote is truly a testament to last year’s championship team, and the group of returners we are fortunate to have coming back,” said first-year head coach Maggie Livreri. “We have some nice additions to those returners, and we are looking forward to getting on the playing field with this year’s group. It’s a long season, and we’re focused on playing one game at a time. Next week’s trip to Austin will be a good test for us right out of the gate. A competitive preseason schedule should prepare us for the rigors of the Mountain West Conference.”
The Broncos are returning plenty of the firepower – offensively and defensively – that propelled them to the 2018 title. Boise State returns six of the eight players to make 40+ starts last season, including the only two players to appear in all 56 games – Rebekah Cervantes and Alison Seng.
In 2018, Cervantes became the first player since Tara Glover (2012) to be named the conference player of the year, while Seng and junior pitcher Kelsey Broadus were named the freshman and pitcher of the year, respectively. All three return in 2019.
The trio was named to the All-Mountain West and All-Pacific Region teams last spring, while Ashlyn Adams and Kora Wade are also returners who garnered All-Pacific Region honors.
Of the team’s record-setting offense in 2018, Boise State returns the majority of its runs (74%), hits (73%) and extra-base hits (69%). The Broncos will be just as experienced in the circle, as they return the only three players to log more than 60 innings last season, and return more than 90-percent of their innings pitched (91%), wins (95%), strikeouts (91%) and complete games (100%).
The Broncos will open their season Friday, Feb. 8, at the Texas Classic in Austin, Texas. Boise State, which received four points in the preseason USA Today/NFCA poll, will play Boston College, Northwestern State and No. 16 Texas.
Rank Team Points (1st place votes)
1. Boise State 64 (8)
2. Fresno State 57 (1)
3. San José State 50
4. UNLV 35
5. San Diego State 31
6. Nevada 29
7. Colorado State 26
8. Utah State 21
9. New Mexico 11
