Genesis Armendariz

For the third consecutive season, the UT Tyler Patriots are the team to beat in the Lone Star Conference.

The national powerhouse Patriots, led by Coach Mike Reed, have been selected as the preseason favorites in the LSC Softball Preseason Poll, the league announced.

Also, Courtney Plocheck, a graduate student from Deer Park who plays the infield, is the Preseason Player of the Year.

The poll is voted upon by the league’s head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives. The Patriots received 25 first-place votes and 591 total votes to sit ahead of No. 2 West Texas A&M, who garnered 576 points and 11 first-place votes.

Oklahoma Christian came in at No. 3 in the preseason poll behind UT Tyler and West Texas A&M with 519 total votes (3 first-place votes). Lubbock Christian (500) and Cameron (412) rounded out the top five in the No. 4 and No. 5 slots, respectively.

Rounding out the poll are: 6, Texas A&M-Kingsville, 386 points, 2 first-place votes; 7, Angelo State, 383; 8, St. Mary’s. 353; 9, St. Edward’s, 288; 10, Texas Woman’s, 254; 11, Eastern New Mexico, 216; 12, Texas A&M International, 175; 13, Midwestern State, 127; 14, Western New Mexico, 72; 15, UT Permian Basin, 68.

UT Tyler claimed a second-straight South Central Region Championship in 2023 and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Softball World Series for a second-consecutive season. The Patriots completed the year with a record of 62-6, setting the program record for wins in a single season, and claimed a third straight Lone Star Conference regular season championship with a record of 39-2 in conference play.

UT Tyler is 97-12 in four seasons of Lone Star Conference play and has accumulated a 161-25 overall record since beginning Division II play in 2020.

Plocheck earns a third straight Preseason Player of the Year accolade for the program after leading the LSC with a .400 batting average in 2023 and a league-best 86 hits. She was named to the NFCA All-America second team and has been named to the All-LSC first team the last two seasons.

Texas Woman’s Alyssa Leblanc was chosen as the LSC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Plocheck and pitcher/graduate student Genesis Armendariz, of Hobbs, New Mexico, were the two representatives from UT Tyler on the 30-player players to watch list for the 2024 LSC softball season.

The Patriots will return the majority of their offensive production from a year ago in 2024, highlighted by Plocheck and fellow NFCA All-American JT Smith. Smith and Plocheck will join fellow All-Region selections Michelle Arias and Audrey Escamilla in a line-up that will be stocked full of talent in 2024.

UT Tyler will begin the 2024 season in Conroe on Feb. 2-4 at the DII First Pitch Invitational. The Patriots are set to take on MSU Denver, No. 17 Wingate, Colorado Mesa, Washburn and Regis.