The Big West Softball Notebook: First Pitch Takes Place Around the League This Week (2024)

Coaches in the league also voted on an 11-person Preseason All-Big West team. Cal State Fullerton claimed two spots on the preseason team with the pairing of senior outfielder Megan Delgadillo and junior pitcher Haley Rainey earning the honors. The Beach boasts a league-best three representatives on the 11-member Big West preseason coaches' team with junior infielder Jacquelyn Bickar, junior pitcher Shannon Haddad, and senior outfielder Sara Olson. The LBSU trio all garnered First Team All-Big West honors a year ago.

CSUN(28-24, 19-8 BW) comes in third place with 65 points. The Matadors finished third place in The Big West last year after being polled fifthin last year's edition. UC Santa Barbara(26-22, 13-14 BW) was selected as the fourth team with 52 points, UC Davis(29-22, 15-12 BW) came in fifth.Hawai'i(30-23, 13-14 BW), andCal Poly(19-23, 12-15 BW) finished sixth and seventh in the polling whileUC Riverside(26),UC San Diego(22), andCal State Bakersfield(9) round out the preseason rankings. These three squads will be looking to shake up the league after improving from a year ago.

Notable Returners/All-Big West Preseason Team

-Last year's Big West Player of the Year, senior outfielder/catcher Anna Dethlefson made the preseason list after leading the league slugging percentage (.627), doubles (15), and stolen bases (40). Teammate senior pitcher Kenedi Brown also made the list after ranking third in the league in ERA (1.73) and strikeouts (16) a year ago. UC Santa Barbara sports the duo of senior catcher/designated player Ashley Donaldson and senior infielder Madelyn McNally on the preseason team. Cal Poly junior outfielder Jessica Clements made the team after setting the team record in career hitting percentage at .384. Senior infielder Maya Nakamura of Hawai'i also earned preseason honors after batting .390 in 2023.

Big West Versus the Best

- Members of The Big West will face stout competition to commence the 2024 campaign across the conference.CSUN starts this year's slate at 2 p.m. as the Matadors take on No. 9 nationally ranked Oklahoma State. Friday features UC Santa Barbara taking on No. 25 nationally ranked Kentucky on the campus of the University of San Diego. Defending 2023 Big West champion Long Beach State begins its weekend inPuerto Vallarta, Mexicoagainst No. 18 nationally ranked Nebraska before clashing with No. 1 nationally ranked and three-time defending national champion Oklahoma on the next day on Feb. 10. Saturday also sees UC Riverside host No. 9 Oklahoma State at 11:30 a.m. before the Beach wrap up their day versus No. 11 nationally ranked Duke at 4:30 p.m. The Gauchos get to end their Saturday on the road when they take on No. 24 San Diego State. UC Santa Barbara is the last Big West team to square off against a nationally ranked opposition versus T-No. 3 Stanford.

New Head Coach on the Block

-There will be a new head coach in The Big West in 2024. Cal State Bakersfield brings on Letty Olivarez as its new program leader. Olivarez brings over a decade of coaching experience from the Pac-12 (Arizona State) and The Big West (CSUN). Most recently, Olivarez spent five seasons as an assistant coach at San Jose State.

Coolen and the Gang Continues to Rock

- Hawai'i head coach Bob Coolen,the longest-tenured leader in The Big West, embarks on the37th season as a head coach(33rd at UH). Coolen is currently ranked No. 5 on the active Division I coaches wins list with 1,152. The Rainbow Wahine were picked to finish sixthin the preseason poll.