DALLAS – North Texas was elected the 2020 Conference USA softball favorite by vote of the league’s 12 head coaches. The Mean Green won a program-record 35 games in 2019 and clinched a share of its first C-USA Regular Season Championship. The squad’s top arm Hope Trautwein was deemed the Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Defending C-USA Champion Louisiana Tech’s Lindsay Edwards was crowned Preseason Player of the Year as the conference's reigning Freshman of the Year. 
 
North Texas earned nine first-place votes ahead of WKU in second place. The Lady Toppers garnered two first-place nods as they set a program-best winning percentage and claimed C-USA’s East Division title in 2019. Louisiana Tech and Marshall tied for third in the preseason poll, the Lady Techsters receiving the final first-place vote. The Techsters earned a stake of their first C-USA regular season crown and second C-USA Championship en route to its second NCAA Tournament appearance in the last three seasons. Marshall pulled off a 17-win improvement and fought its way to the C-USA title game after last year’s preseason poll had the Thundering Herd slated to finish eighth. North Texas and Marshall are led by second-year head coaches Rodney DeLong and Megan Smith, respectively, while Louisiana Tech features a few face at the helm in Maria Winn-Ratliff.
 
Edwards came out swinging in her first season donning the Lady Techster uniform. The third baseman amassed a slew of accolades, including First Team All-C-USA and NFCA All-Mideast Region, and C-USA All-Freshman and All-Tournament recognition. Edwards started 60 of 61 games at the hot corner while setting the school’s freshman records in hits (64) and batting average (.364). The Plano, Texas, native turned in 39 runs, 38 RBI, five home runs and pulled off seven of her eight stolen base attempts.
 
Trautwein captains the North Texas rotation in her third season with the team. The right-handed hurler is a two-time all-conference selection coming off a 2019 campaign that witnessed her hold opponents to a career-low .187 average. She posted 22 wins in the circle through 28 starts, 44 appearances and 17 complete games. Trautwein retired 169 hitters through 204.1 innings as she ranked in the league’s top three in nine statistical pitching categories.
 
WKU will host the 2020 Conference USA Softball Championship, set for May 6-9 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The eight-team tournament will include the top three teams, by winning percentage, in both the East and West Division standings, as well as two Wild Card teams from either unit. 2020 showcases a new look for C-USA series as teams will play three games over the span of three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). The C-USA conference slate begins March 6.
 
2020 C-USA Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
1. North Texas (9)
2. WKU (2)
T3. Louisiana Tech (1)
T3. Marshall
5. UAB
6. Middle Tennessee
7. Southern Miss
8. Florida Atlantic
9. FIU
10. UTSA
11. UTEP
12. Charlotte
 
Preseason Player of the Year
Lindsay Edwards, Louisiana Tech
 
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Hope Trautwein, North Texas
 
Preseason All-Conference Team
Pitcher: Kailee Williamson, Marshall
Pitcher: Hope Trautwein, North Texas
Pitcher: Kelsey Aikey, WKU
Catcher: Bailey Vannoy, Charlotte
Catcher: Kendall Smith, WKU
Infielder: Lindsay Edwards, Louisiana Tech
Infielder: Kimmie Atienza, Louisiana Tech
Infielder: Aly Harrell, Marshall
Infielder: Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
Infielder: Lacy Gregory, North Texas
Infielder: Lacey Sumerlin, Southern Miss
Outfielder: Fayth Davis, Florida Atlantic
Outfielder: Mya Stevenson, Marshall
Outfielder: Katie Clark, North Texas
Outfielder: Destini Brown, Southern Miss
DP/Utility: Kasey Flores, UTEP