GSW Softball Team predicted to finish third in the Peach Belt in Pre-Season PBC poll

Published 5:17 pm Saturday, January 28, 2023

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From Staff Reports

 

AUGUSTA, GA — The Georgia Southwestern State University softball team is picked to finish third out of 10 teams in the Peach Belt Conference in 2023 according to the preseason coaches poll released by the league this afternoon. GSW infielders Katelyn Wood and Zoe Willis were named to the PBC preseason All-Conference team.

Wood, a senior from Tallahassee, Fla., plays at third base for GSW. She was a first team All-PBC selection in 2022 and named to the All-Southeast team by the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (D2CCA). Wood led the PBC and ranked seventh in NCAA Division II with 66 RBIs last spring which is tied for the ninth-most in a single season in PBC history. She ranked in the Top 10 of the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, hits, doubles and home runs.

Willis, a junior from Pine Mountain, Ga., plays second base for GSW. She is the reigning PBC Player of the Year. Willis was a first team All-PBC selection in 2022 and named to the All-Southeast team by NFCA and D2CCA. She led the PBC and ranked third in NCAA Division II with a .976 slugging percentage. Her 17 home runs last spring led the PBC and ranked eighth nationally. Willis also led the league in on-base percentage, ranked third in runs scored and fourth in RBIs.

GSW will open its 2023 season next weekend, Feb. 3-4, at the Flagler Invitational in St. Augustine, FL.

The preseason coaches poll is below along with the preseason All-Conference team. Each was selected by the league’s head coaches who were not permitted to rank their own teams in the poll or vote for their own players for the All-Conference team.

Rank Team Points
1. North Georgia (9) 81
2. Columbus State 69
3. Georgia Southwestern 61
4. Lander 59
t5. Flagler 43
t5. Young Harris 43
7. USC Aiken 36
8. USC Beaufort 24
9. Georgia College & State University 19
10. Augusta 15

2023 Peach Belt Softball
Preseason All-Conference Team

1B – Mallory Shaver, USCA
1B – Olivia Sinquefield, North Georgia
2B – Zoe Willis, Georgia Southwestern
3B – Katelyn Wood, Georgia Southwestern
SS – Ka’naya Jones, Lander
SS – Madi Perry, North Georgia
C – Emily Ayers, USC Aiken
OF – Abbie Behe, Lander
OF – Shannon Antonini, Lander
OF – Jolie Lester, North Georgia
UT – Hannah Rose Corbin, Columbus State
P – Kristen Davis, North Georgia