Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State Picked Second In Big West Preseason Poll
2/3/2023 12:29:00 PM | Softball
Senior Samantha Fowler also earned Preseason All-Big West Honors for the Beach.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Big West announced the preseason coaches poll for softball on Friday and Long Beach State was picked to finish second behind Cal State Fullerton, as the rivals were the co-favorites once again entering the season.
The two teams have traded the Big West Championship by one game over the last two seasons, with Long Beach State getting the better of the Titans in 2021, while Cal State Fullerton won the conference last season and got the nod over the Beach in the preseason, earning seven first-place votes.
Long Beach State was the consensus second pick among the 10 teams, receiving one first-place vote and out-pacing Hawai'i who was picked to finish third. UC San Diego and CSUN were picked fourth and fifth to round out the top half of the poll.
For the first time, the coaches also picked an 11-player Preseason All-Big West team, and senior Samantha Fowler was selected from Long Beach State.
Long Beach State's top returning pitcher, Fowler represented a staff which will be one of the strengths of the team. The Beach returns all five pitchers from last season, including Fowler, while getting back 2021 Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year Shannon Haddad from injury and welcoming in 2021 CSUN ace Eryka Gonzales.
Fowler was the top pitcher from the Beach last season, earning second-team All-Big West honors in 2022. Fowler went 14-7 with a 2.91 ERA and 128 strikeouts, ranking in the league's Top 5 in innings pitched and strikeouts over the course of Big West action.
Long Beach State opens their season on the road with five games at the Arizona Candrea Classic, and will then return to Long Beach for their home opener as well as their first game under the brand new lights at the LBSU Softball Complex on February 15. Long Beach State hosts San Diego for a double-header starting at 3 p.m.
2023 Big West Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Cal State Fullerton - 80 (8)
2. Long Beach State - 68 (1)
3. Hawai'i - 59
4. UC San Diego - 56
5. CSUN - 41
6. Cal Poly - 40 (1)
7. UC Riverside - 36
8. UC Davis - 35
9. UC Santa Barbara - 20
10. CSU Bakersfield - 15
The two teams have traded the Big West Championship by one game over the last two seasons, with Long Beach State getting the better of the Titans in 2021, while Cal State Fullerton won the conference last season and got the nod over the Beach in the preseason, earning seven first-place votes.
Long Beach State was the consensus second pick among the 10 teams, receiving one first-place vote and out-pacing Hawai'i who was picked to finish third. UC San Diego and CSUN were picked fourth and fifth to round out the top half of the poll.
For the first time, the coaches also picked an 11-player Preseason All-Big West team, and senior Samantha Fowler was selected from Long Beach State.
Long Beach State's top returning pitcher, Fowler represented a staff which will be one of the strengths of the team. The Beach returns all five pitchers from last season, including Fowler, while getting back 2021 Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year Shannon Haddad from injury and welcoming in 2021 CSUN ace Eryka Gonzales.
Fowler was the top pitcher from the Beach last season, earning second-team All-Big West honors in 2022. Fowler went 14-7 with a 2.91 ERA and 128 strikeouts, ranking in the league's Top 5 in innings pitched and strikeouts over the course of Big West action.
Long Beach State opens their season on the road with five games at the Arizona Candrea Classic, and will then return to Long Beach for their home opener as well as their first game under the brand new lights at the LBSU Softball Complex on February 15. Long Beach State hosts San Diego for a double-header starting at 3 p.m.
2023 Big West Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Cal State Fullerton - 80 (8)
2. Long Beach State - 68 (1)
3. Hawai'i - 59
4. UC San Diego - 56
5. CSUN - 41
6. Cal Poly - 40 (1)
7. UC Riverside - 36
8. UC Davis - 35
9. UC Santa Barbara - 20
10. CSU Bakersfield - 15
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