Marshall University Athletics
@HerdSB Lands Three Players on C-USA Preseason Team
1/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall University's softball team has three student athletes named to the Conference USA preseason poll, the league office announced today. Marshall and Florida Atlantic have the most players named to the team, with three each. The Thundering Herd is also predicted to finish fourth in the conference behind FIU, UAB, and FAU.
A pair of Herd juniors, OF Kaelynn Greene (Eastvale, Calif.) and INF Shaelynn Braxton (Woodbridge, Va.) were named to the team. This is the second preseason Conference honor for both Greene and Braxton, who were also named to the list last season.The other Marshall player named to the team was sophomore OF Morgan Zerkle (Milton, W.Va.).
Greene set the program record for hits in a single season in 2014, with 81. Her .397 average last season was the fifth-highest ever by a Herd player. She finished the season with a .422 slugging percentage and .417 on-base percentage. Greene was also named to the NFCA All-Region team last year, as well as the Conference USA All-Tournament team, which Braxton and Zerkle were named to as well.
Braxton provided power at the heart of the order for the Herd last season, hitting 16 home runs (third in single-season school history) and drove in 57 RBI (second in single-season school history). Braxton also hit for a .351 average and also finished third in single-season history for total bases with 125 and fourth in slugging percentage with a .718 rate.
Zerkle had a very strong freshman season in 2014, finishing the year with the single-season record for stolen bases (48) and third in stolen-base percentage (.960). Zerkle also joined Greene in tying the school record for most starts in a single season with 59. Her .358 average on the season showed her progression as a freshman.
Head Coach Shonda Stanton said the three players were deserving of the recognition from the conference.
"Always nice to have student-athletes receive pre-season recognition, so congratulations to our three deserving players," Stanton said.
Stanton also said Marshall is ready for its season in what should be a very level Conference USA playing field.
"C-USA is wide open this year, with the most parity since we joined the league in 2006, and we look forward to an exciting spring," Stanton said. "This is the most confident I have felt with our ball club this early in the year and my coaching staff has been very pleased with our team's preparation."
Marshall's season will start on Feb. 6 at the Charleston Challenge, in Charleston, S.C. The Herd will host its fourth annual Diamond Club dinner on Saturday, January 31. The evening will start at 6 p.m. with a reception and silent auction, with the dinner program starting at 7 p.m.
2015 C-USA Softball Preseason Team
P - Lexi Betancourt, Charlotte, Jr.
P - Samantha Messer, Florida Atlantic, Sr.
P - Miranda Kramer, WKU, Sr.
C - Jackie Kleinsmith, Charlotte, Sr.
C - Mickey Bell, Florida Atlantic, Jr.
C - Dani Pugh, WKU, Sr.
IF - Stephanie Texeira, FIU, So.
IF - Shaelynn Braxton, Marshall, Jr.
IF - Dani Hoff, North Texas, Sr.
IF - Caitlin Attfield, UAB, Jr.
IF - Megan Low, UTSA, Sr.
OF - Christina Martinez, Florida Atlantic, Jr.
OF - Kaelynn Greene, Marshall, Jr.
OF - Morgan Zerkle, Marshall, So.
OF - Ashley Eldridge, UTEP, Sr.
DP/UT - Spencer Ferrell, North Texas, Jr.
Preseason Player of the Year
Megan Low, UTSA, Sr.
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Samantha Messer, Florida Atlantic, Sr.
Preseason Rankings
T-1. FIU (5)
T-1. UAB (5)
3. Florida Atlantic (1)
4. Marshall (1)
5. WKU
6. North Texas
7. UTSA
8. Charlotte
9. UTEP
10. Southern Miss
11. Louisiana Tech
12. Middle Tennessee
