BYU Selected Third in Pre-Season Coaches Poll
PROVO, Utah -- The BYU Cougars were picked to finish third in the the Mountain West Conference softball this season in a vote by the league coaches. The Cougars trailed San Diego State, who received 25 points and five first place votes, and Utah who received 20 points and collected one first place vote.
San Diego State, the defending regular season champion, captured the top spot in the poll. 2002 Mountain West Conference tournament champion, Utah, tallied 20 points to place second in the poll, followed by BYU (17 points), UNLV (13 points), New Mexico (eight points) and Colorado State (seven points).
BYU, 30-23 overall (6-10 MWC) last season, placed third in this season's poll after finishing fifth in conference play last year. The Cougars return eight starters this season, including two-time first-team All-American Oli Keohohou.
The Aztecs, coming off a 41-22-1 overall record (14-4 MWC) last season and a second place finish in the MWC Championship, return eight letterwinners this season. The Utes (30-36, 10-4 MWC) captured last season's MWC tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the 10th time in school history.
After posting its first 30-win season since 1996 and its best conference record since joining the Mountain West, UNLV (30-34 overall, 8-8 MWC) was picked to finish fourth this season. Fifth-place belongs to New Mexico (18-29-1, 9-10 MWC), while Colorado State rounded out the voting in sixth, after posting a 19-33 overall record and a 4-15 MWC record in 2002.
The 2003 season starts on Jan. 31 with BYU facing Oregon State and Southern Utah at the Thunderbird Canyon Park Classic in St. George Utah.
Preseason Softball Coaches' PollPl. Team (1st place votes) Points
1. San Diego State (5) 25
2. Utah (1) 20
3. BYU 17
4. UNLV 13
5. New Mexico 8
6. Colorado State 7
