BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford redshirt freshman Abby Swaney was named the Southern Conference's Preseason Pitcher of the Year, while earning First Team All-Conference honors, and the Bulldog softball team was picked to finish fourth in the league standings when the SoCon released its preseason poll and All-Conference teams Thursday afternoon.
 
In the coaches' poll, UNCG was picked as the favorite with 31 points and three of seven first-place votes. Mercer came in at the second spot with 29 points and one first place vote, followed by Chattanooga with 28 points and two other first-place nods. Samford came in fourth with 22 points, followed by ETSU (16), Furman (14), and Western Carolina (7).
 
Despite a COVID-shortened season, Swaney started in 8-of-10 games and pitched 46.0 innings, recording 35 strikeouts for the Bulldogs. She also pitched 7.0 complete innings against three opponents and posted an earned run average of 2.93.
 
Senior Whitney Hinton joins Swaney in representing Samford on the Preseason First-Team All-Conference squad. Last season, Hinton started all 26 games and had a total of 88 at-bats, leading to five home runs and a batting average of .375 with 20 RBIs.
 
Redshirt junior Timberlyn Shurbutt earned Preseason Second-Team All-Conference recognition after playing and starting in 23 games last season for the Bulldogs. Shurbutt had 75 at-bats, leading her to 21 hits and 13 runs for a batting average of .280 with 15 RBIs.
 
Samford is set to start its 2021 campaign with a home series at Samford Field against the University of Kentucky. The Bulldogs will kick off the series with a single game on Friday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 13 starting at 12 p.m.
 
Preseason Poll    
 







Preseason Player of the Year
Emily Coltharp, Chattanooga, Jr., IF
 
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Abby Swaney, Samford, R-Fr.
 
Preseason First-Team All-SoCon
P       Kelly Schmidt, ETSU, R-Sr.
P       Abby Swaney, Samford, R-Fr.
C       Delaney Cumbie, UNCG, Jr.
IF      Danielle Castleberry, Mercer, R-Sr.
IF       Samantha Lagrama, UNCG, Jr.
IF      Whitney Hinton, Samford, R-Sr.
IF      Emily Coltharp, Chattanooga, Jr.
OF     Kelly Warren, ETSU, Sr.
OF     Allie Jones, Mercer, Sr.
OF     Micayla Rood, Mercer, Sr.
DP    Kayleigh Willis, UNCG, R-Sr.
DP     Kylie Helm, Mercer, So.
 
Preseason Second-Team All-SoCon
P       Amber Byrd, Mercer, Sr. 
P       Morgan Scott, UNCG, So.
C       Kylie Toler, ETSU, R-Sr.
IF      Julia Fritz, ETSU, Sr.
IF      Natalie Morgan, Furman, Jr.
IF      Timberlyn Shurbutt, Samford, R-Jr.
IF      Jasmine Palmer, UNCG, R-Sr.
OF     Andrea Sarhatt, ETSU, Jr. 
OF     Makenna Matthijs, UNCG, Sr.
OF     Hayleigh Weissenbach, Chattanooga, R-Sr.
DP    Emily Bartlett, Furman, Jr.