One year after just missing a playoff spot, the Wildcat softball team was picked to finish 6th in the Lone Star Conference Preseason poll.
Last year, the ‘Cats season came down to the final weekend, but ACU lost a tiebreaker with Texas Woman’s and fell just short of the final playoff spot in the LSC Postseason tournament.
This season, the Wildcats were picked by coaches, sports information directors and writers to finish in the LSC’s top eight, which is good enough for a playoff berth.
“I don’t pay much attention to the rankings in the preseason,” head coach Bobby Reeves said.
A slimmed down Lone Star Conference also gives the Wildcats a better chance at a playoff spot. Only 10 teams remain in the LSC eliminating the North and South divisions. Last year, the top four teams from each division made the tournament. This year the teams with the eight best records will advance.
“I would say getting into the playoffs this year would be easier,” Reeves said. “I don’t know if you can say anything about the LSC being easy though.”
The top four teams were all tightly bunched at the top of the rankings. Finishing atop the poll was Angelo State. The Rambelles received 232 total points from voters as well as eight first-place votes.
Right behind ASU with 214 points was Incarnate Word, whose baseball team was picked by the same group to win the LSC.
Just two points behind Incarnate was West Texas A&M with 212. The Lady Buffs won last years tournament and garnered seven first-place votes. Just behind WT fell Midwestern State. Despite their fourth place ranking the Lady Mustangs nabbed nine first place votes to lead all teams, showing just how closely bunched the top four teams are.
“The (LSC) may be the best (Division II) conference in the nation,” Reeves said. “They could end the year with five or six teams in the top 25 in the nation.”
Texas Woman’s sits in front of the Wildcats in fifth place with 142 points, while ACU is just seven points back at 135. Rounding out the LSC are Tarleton State, Cameron, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Eastern New Mexico.
Another benefit of having the smaller LSC means that the Wildcats will get to play more non-conference games, and the Wildcats are taking full advantage by playing in four regular season tournaments before conference play begins, said Reeves.
“We are playing a little bit tougher schedule this year than we did last year,” Reeves said. “Hopefully we can use that to our advantage.”
The ‘Cats will start their season in San Antonio at the St. Mary’s Tournament before they conduct the ACU Whitten Inn Classic.
After the six home tournament games they will hit the road again, first to Wichita Falls for the Midwestern State Classic and then to Denton for the Texas Woman’s Crossover.
All four tournaments lead up to the Wildcats first conference game which will be Mar. 2 in San Antonio against Incarnate Word.
