HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Just over two weeks away from the first pitch of the 2023 college softball season, fans of Yellowhammer State’s SEC programs will have plenty to root for.
D1Softball.com’s preseason top-25 list is out and Alabama sits at sixth while Auburn comes in at 19th. Seven total SEC schools made the list.
On those preseason top-25 rosters are three members of USA Softball's Player of the Year preseason watch list: two Crimson Tide and a Tiger.
‘Bama superstar pitcher Montana Fauts is looking to win what feels like the only award that's eluded her in her career: she’s been on the preseason watchlist each of the last four years, and has been a finalist in each of the last three. The righty from Grayson, Kentucky was named NFCA Pitcher of the Year in 2021.
Faith Hensley won Mid-American Conference player of the year last season at Ball State. She could make an instant impact with the Tide after four years with the Cardinals where she hit .389 with 55 extra base hits.
Alabama begins its season on February 10 against Lehigh in the school’s Leadoff Classic event: a three-team round-robin tournament at Rhoads Stadium with the Warhawks and Georgia Southern. The Tide are coming off a 44-13 overall season where they finished 2nd in the SEC regular season, earned the #6 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament before falling in the Tuscaloosa Regional final.
Maddie Penta was Auburn’s representative on the list. Penta was the Tigers’ ace last year, earning first-team all-league honors with a 1.76 ERA in 42 appearances.
The Tigers open on the road, facing St. John’s in the NFCA Leadoff Classic at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater. Fla. They play their first home game the following week against Austin Peay in the round-robin Tiger Classic. The four-team event features the Governors, Villanova and Dayton.
According to an Alabama release, the 25 finalists for the Player of the Year award will be announced April 19. One does not have to be on the Preseason Watch List to be considered for the Top 25, but the eventual winner of the award will come from the Top 25 finalists. “The Top 10 will be revealed May 3 with the Top 3 coming May 17 and the winner announced in Oklahoma City prior to the start of the Women’s College World Series,” per the release.