HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana junior outfielder Kelsey Nichols represented the Lady Lions on the 2012 Preseason All-Southland Conference Teams, which were announced by the league office on Thursday.
 
Nichols, a native of Alvin, Texas, was a first team selection. All 11 Southland Conference schools had at least one representative on the first or second teams.
 
Nichols was a second team All-Southland and All-Louisiana choice in 2011 after a breakout sophomore campaign. Her team-high .358 batting average a season ago was good for fourth in the Southland Conference, while she also ranked among the league's top 10 with 78 total bases, a .420 on-base percentage and a .517 slugging percentage.
 
“Kelsey is our top returning hitter and she's deserving to be recognized among the league's best,” Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois commented. “She's a consistent performer day in and day out. We expect big things of her this year, as teaming her with Katie Matthews, Ariell Van Hook and Katie Doyle will give us a potent heart of the order.”
 
That heart of the order is one of the reasons Langlois believes his squad can surprise some conference foes this season. The Lady Lions were picked ninth by the league's sports information directors and 10^th by the Southland head coaches in the preseason polls that the Southland office released on Thursday.
 
“We feel we've improved dramatically in several areas,” Langlois said. “We have an extremely challenging non-conference schedule, which we expect will help us get ready to battle in the Southland Conference.
 
The Lady Lions open the season on Feb. 10, hosting Southern at 3 p.m. in the opening game of the Lion Classic at North Oak Park.
 
2012 Preseason All-Southland Conference Softball Teams
 
First Team
Pos. – Name – University – Class – Hometown
1B – Haley Lemons – Texas State – Jr. – Rockwall, Texas
2B – Cali Burke – Northwestern State – So. – Mesquite, Texas
3B – Ashley Ray – Nicholls State – Sr. – Lafayette, La.
SS – Megan Gaspard – Nicholls State – Sr. – Coteau, La.
C – Melanie Bryant – Central Arkansas – Jr. – Hernando, Miss.
UT – Kasey Britt – Central Arkansas – Sr. – Florence, Miss.
DP – Katie McGregor – Central Arkansas – Sr. – Lake Jackson, Texas
OF – Hannah Schwarz – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – Sr. – Kerrville, Texas
OF – Claire Terracina – McNeese State – Sr. – Lake Charles, La.
OF – Kelsey Nichols – Southeastern Louisiana – Jr. – Alvin, Texas
P – Callie Collins – UT Arlington – So. – Rusk, Texas
P – Anne Marie Taylor – Texas State – Jr. – Houston, Texas
 
Second Team
Pos. – Name – University – Class – Hometown
1B – Caitlyn Ivy – UTSA – Sr. – Huntington, Texas
2B – Anna Hernandez – Texas State – Jr. – Buda, Texas
3B – Taylor Zink – UT Arlington – So. – Highlands, Texas
SS – Courtney Enocksen – UT Arlington – Sr. – Kingwood, Texas
C – Molly Fichtner – UTSA – So. – Houston, Texas
UT – Chandler Hall – Texas State – Sr. – Baytown, Texas
DP – MyKeisha Young – McNeese State – So. – Brusly, La.
OF – Tori Benavidez – Sam Houston State – Jr. – Midlothian, Texas
OF – Charne Office – UT Arlington – Sr. – Seabrook, Texas
OF – Nicole Beals – Central Arkansas – Sr. – Goodyear, Ariz.
P – Kelee Grimes – Northwestern State – Sr. – Pineville, La.
P – Vianca Pesina – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – Sr. – Corpus Christi, Texas
 
2012 Southland Conference Preseason Softball Polls
 
Coaches
1. Texas State (4) – 92
2. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (5) – 87
3. UT Arlington (1) – 82
4. McNeese State – 75
5. UTSA – 68
6. Northwestern State (1) – 58
7. Sam Houston State – 42
8. Central Arkansas – 40
9. Stephen F. Austin – 24
10. Southeastern Louisiana – 21
11. Nicholls State – 17
 
SID's
1. Texas State (6) – 93
2. UT Arlington (1) – 88
3. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (4) – 80
4. McNeese State – 69
5. UTSA – 67
6. Northwestern State – 56
7. Central Arkansas – 45
8. Sam Houston State – 39
9. Southeastern Louisiana – 32
10. Stephen F. Austin – 23
11. Nicholls State – 13