Texas A&M Softball Expected To Finish Eighth In SEC Coaches Poll
Texas A&M softball is looking to build off a promising first year under Trisha Ford that ended with an appearance in the Austin Regional final.
Voters have mixed feelings entering the 2024 season.
The Aggies were picked eighth in the Southeastern Conference softball coaches’ preseason poll. Tennessee was named the favorite to win the league over Georgia and Florida, who each picked up first-place votes.
LSU was picked to finish third, while Arkansas and Auburn rounded out the top five. Alabama finished sixth. Florida edged out the Aggies for seventh place with one first-place vote.
A&M was 35-21 last year under Ford, who joined the 12th Man after a successful stint at Arizona State. The Aggies went 2-2 in the regional, losing both games to host team Texas.
Senior catcher Julia Cottrill was the only Aggies player named to the SEC coaches’ preseason team. Last season, Cottrill batted .331 with 10 home runs and 43 RBI en route to earning third-team All-American honors.
The Aggies revamped the roster via the transfer portal this offseason with the additions of infielder Kennedy Powell (UCLA), infielder Kylei Griffin (Louisiana-Lafayette), outfielder Kramer Eschete (Louisiana-Lafayette), outfielder Jazmine Hill (Arizona State) and pitcher Brooke Vestal (Ole Miss).
Powell, one of the top infielders in the Pac-12 last season with the Bruins, batted .374 with a .424 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .433. Powell totaled five extra-base hits, including a home run and finished with 21 RBIs and five stolen bases.
A native of Conroe, Powell was named to the Pac-12's all-freshman conference team last spring. She played various positions but is expected to start in the infield for the Aggies.
A&M also added four freshmen including first baseman Mya Perez, infielder Reagan Jones, outfielder Hailey Golden and utility bat Avery “Scout” Lovell.
The Aggies open the season at Davis Diamond on Feb. 9 against Valparaiso at 3:30 p.m.