IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Davis softball team has been tabbed to finish third as voted on by the Big West coaches for the preseason poll. The Aggies compiled 55 points in the voting, the conference office announced Monday.
Cal State Fullerton edged out Long Beach State for the top spot in the voting, compiling 77 points on the strength of five first-place votes. The Beach tallied 74 points and received four first-place votes.
The Aggies return three NFCA All-Region selections in junior second baseman
Sommer Kisling, sophomore hurler
Kenedi Brown and sophomore first baseman
Sarah Starks.
Kisling, a second-team All-Big West Conference selection, led the team in runs (27) and hits (53), while ranking second among her teammates with a .346 batting average.
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Brown captured first-team All-Big West and All-Freshman acclaim after leading the conference with 174 strikeouts while posting a 2.69 ERA and holding opposing batters to just a .245 average.
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Starks garnered All-Big West Conference honorable mention plus All-Freshman status alongside Brown after becoming the first Aggie player to reach double figures in the program's D-I era. Starks batted .293 with a team-high .526 slugging percentage.
UC Davis finished third in the Big West Conference standings despite a roster of just 15 players, including 10 freshmen in 2021. The Aggies went 19-24 overall, 13-11 in league play.
Rank    School                     Points (First Place Votes)
1.           Cal State Fullerton                       77 (5)
2.           Long Beach State                         74 (4)
3.           UC Davis                   55
T4.         Hawai'I                     49
T4.         UC San Diego                49
6.           Cal Poly                     42 (1)
7.           UC Santa Barbara                        41
8.           CSUN                                            29
9.           UC Riverside                 25
10.         CSU Bakersfield                           9
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