Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech was represented by center fielder Sierra Sacco and shortstop Amanda Gonzalez on the 2023 Conference USA Softball Preseason All-Conference team, the league announced Thursday.
LA Tech is coming off an impressive 2022 campaign which culminated in a 39-20 record and a Regular Season C-USA Championship in head coach Josh Taylor’s first year at the helm.
Sacco, the reigning C-USA Freshman of the Year, is one of the top center fielders in collegiate softball and was recently named a Top-100 player by both D1 Softball and Extra Innings Softball. The Marrero, La., product is the NCAA active career leader in batting average (.441) and is coming off a 2022 campaign that saw her tally a school record 83 hits, in addition to 51 runs, 24 RBI and 28 stolen bases. Sacco ranked among the national leaders in hits (5th), batting average (8th), on-base percentage (14th) and stolen bases (30th). The sophomore standout enters the 2023 season, having reached base safely in 31 consecutive games.
Gonzalez earned first-team honors in 2022 after a season that saw her hit .363 with 57 hits, nine doubles, four triples and seven home runs while scoring 33 runs, recording 28 RBI and stealing 8 bases. She led Conference USA in assists with 158 and ranked among the team leaders in multi-hit games and multi-RBI contests with 19 and nine, respectively.
It marked the first time Tech had multiple representatives on the preseason all-conference squad since 2020.
LA Tech was tabbed to finish fourth by the league’s ten head coaches with 74 total votes, four points behind Charlotte, who came in third with 78 votes. North Texas topped the poll with 99 total votes, including nine first-place votes, followed by Western Kentucky in second with 82 points.
The selection marks the highest predicted finish for Louisiana Tech since 2020 when the Techsters were tabbed third.
The Lady Techsters will open the season on Saturday, Feb. 11, when they host Southeast Missouri State for game one of a three-game series at 4 p.m. at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
Preseason Poll
- North Texas (9) 99
- WKU 82
- Charlotte (1) 78
- LA Tech 84
- Florida Atlantic 56
- UAB 56
- UTSA 39
- FIU 25
- Middle Tennessee 25
- UTEP 16
Preseason Team
C Kaeli Christensen, North Texas
C Sierra Frazier, UAB
INF Ella Chancey, Charlotte
INF Kailey Gamble, North Texas
INF Amanda Gonzalez, LA Tech
INF Kat Ibarra, UTSA
INF Lindsey Smith, UAB
OF Sara Berthiaume, FAU
OF Lexi Cobb, North Texas
OF Taylor Davis, WKU
OF Sierra Sacco, LA Tech
OF Bailey Vannoy, Charlotte
UT Marena Estell, UTSA
P Lynn Gardner, FAU
P Ashley Peters, North Texas
P Skylar Savage, North Texas
To report an issue or typo with this article – CLICK HERE
