Jan. 23, 2013

IRVING, Texas - The University of Memphis softball team was picked to finish seventh in the Conference USA Preseason poll as selected by the league's coaches while senior infielder Laura Curtis was one of 15 athletes selected to the conference preseason team, it was announced Wednesday morning. Memphis also received one first-place vote in the poll.

The Tigers finished the 2012 season with a 20-37 record and an 8-16 mark in C-USA play to finish seventh. Memphis returns 12 letterwinners from last season, including its top two pitchers and four of its top five hitters.

Tulsa was picked to finish first in the conference, receiving six first-place votes and placing four players on the preseason team. Houston and East Carolina were the other schools joining Memphis in receiving a first-place vote in the preseason poll.

Curtis was second on the team last season with a .289 batting average while adding 37 hits, 19 runs scored and 15 RBI. The Chattanooga, Tenn. native led the Tigers with a .422 slugging percentage, 10 sacrifice hits and 77 assists to help her garner All-Conference USA Second Team honors in 2012.

Memphis opens its 2013 season on Friday, Feb. 8 against North Texas at the Texas Classic in Austin. The Tigers will also face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and No. 7 Texas during the three-day event. Before Memphis hosts the Blues City Classic, Feb. 22-24, the Tigers will compete in the LSU Purple & Gold Challenge against No. 10 LSU, Virginia, North Dakota State and Nicholls State from Feb. 15-17.

2013 C-USA Preseason Poll (1st place votes)
1. Tulsa (6)
2. Houston (1)
3. UCF
4. UAB
5. MAR
6. East Carolina (1)
7. Memphis (1)
8. Southern Miss
9. UTEP

2013 All-Conference USA Preseason Softball Team
P Lacey Middlebrooks, Tulsa, Sr., Wake Village, Texas
P Mackenzie Audas, UCF, So., Plant City, Fla.
C Haley Outon, Houston, Jr., Pflugerville, Texas
IF Samantha Cobb, Tulsa, Sr., Garland, Texas
IF Jill Barrett, Tulsa, Jr., Greenwood, Ark.
IF Holly Anderson, Houston, Sr., Dickinson, Texas
IF Laura Curtis, Memphis, Sr., Chattanooga, Tenn.
IF Farrah Sullivan, UCF, So., Waynesboro, Miss.
IF Jazmine Valle, Marshall, Sr., Lake Elsinore, Calif.
OF Caitlin Everett, Tulsa, Sr., Forney, Texas
OF Whitney Fletcher, UAB, Sr., Decatur, Ala.
OF Jill Jelnick, East Carolina, Jr., Aliso Viejo, Calif.
OF Kahley Novak, UCF, So., Clermont, Fla.
UT Kristen McGrath, UAB, Jr., Tampa, Fla.
DP Reina Gaber, Houston, Sr., Whittier, Calif.

Preseason Player of the Year: Haley Outon, Houston, Jr., Pflugerville, Texas
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Lacey Middlebrooks, Tulsa, Sr., Wake Village, Texas