Mount Olive Chosen to Win Softball Championship in Preseason Poll 1/27/2022 3:00:00 PM GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mount Olive was picked to win the program’s first regular-season championship since 2012 by league softball head coaches in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll released on Jan. 27. Led by a pair of returning first team All-Conference Carolinas selections, the Trojans garnered 117 points and three of 13 first-place votes. Mount Olive was one of eight teams to earn a first-place nod. UNC Pembroke captured two first-place votes and 111 points to rank second while King was picked third with 109 points and two first-place selections. Belmont Abbey was picked fourth with 100 points and a first-place nod while North Greenville rounded out the top five with 98 points. Erskine was picked sixth with 95 points and two first-place votes followed by Francis Marion (92, one first-place vote), Emmanuel (86), Barton (69), Lees-McRae (52), Chowan (39, one first-place vote), Southern Wesleyan (29) and Converse (17). The regular season begins on Thursday, Feb. 3 with the conference championship slated for April 28-May 1 at Tyger River Park in Duncan, South Carolina. 2022 Conference Carolinas Softball Preseason Poll School Total (First Place) Mount Olive 117 (3) UNC Pembroke 111 (2) King 109 (2) Belmont Abbey 100 (1) North Greenville 98 Erskine 95 (2) Francis Marion 92 (1) Emmanuel 86 (1) Barton 69 Lees-McRae 52 Chowan 39 (1) Southern Wesleyan 29 Converse 17 2022 Conference Carolinas Softball Players to Watch Barton Rilee Jones, So., RHP, Virginia Beach, Virginia (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year) McCrae Knapp, Sr., C/OF, Hertford, North Carolina (2021 All-Conference Carolinas Second Team) Emily Bell, Jr., 2B, Bunn, North Carolina (2021 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team) Belmont Abbey Payton Whitley, Sr., 1B, Albemarle, North Carolina (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas Player of the Year; 2019 First Team All-Conference Carolinas) Alannah Browne, Jr., P, Suwanee, Georgia (2021 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team) Sydney Pon, So., OF, Julian, North Carolina (2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas) Chowan Megan Vincent, Sr., P, Boykins, Virginia Hannah Eden, Jr., C, Ocoee, Florida Converse Grace McKinney, Jr., 3B/1B, Boiling Springs, South Carolina Faith Hauser, Fr., UTL, Lexington, North Carolina Maggie Griffis, Fr., 1B/RHP, Graniteville, South Carolina Emmanuel Kya Santiago, So., CF, Homer, Georgia (2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas) Mackensie Hogan, Jr., 1B, Canon, Georgia (2021 Conference Carolinas Tournament MVP) Ally Harris, Sr., OF, Ephesus, Georgia Erskine Shi Cain, Sr., INF, Rockwell, North Carolina (2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas; 2019 First Team All-Conference Carolinas) Kaley Ingle, Fr., RHP, Stoneville, North Carolina Sydney McInnis, Sr., UTL, Hartsville, South Carolina Francis Marion Megan Matsil, Jr., INF, Indian Trail, North Carolina (2021 Second Team All-Peach Belt Conference) NaJah Gerrald, Gr., OF, Orlando, Florida (2021 Second Team All-Peach Belt Conference) Gracie Trautman, So., 1B, Burlington, Wisconsin (2021 Second Team All-Northeast-10 Conference) King Nikole Counts, Jr., P, Clintwood, Virginia (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Second Team D2CCA All-Region, NFCA All-Southeast Region) Carly Turner, Sr., 1B/P, Springfield, Ohio Rikkelle Miller, Sr., C, Fayetteville, Georgia (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team) Lees-McRae Julie Gast, Sr., INF, Taylorsville, North Carolina (2019 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team) Lauren Ritchie, So., INF, China Grove, North Carolina Mount Olive Kylie Emanuele, So., 3B/C, Corona, California (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas) Courtlynn Cooney, Jr., OF, Mechanicsville, Maryland (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas) North Greenville Josie Reed, Sr., 2B, Sumter, South Carolina (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas) Brianna McRae, Sr., C, Simpsonville, South Carolina (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas) Claire Gilmore, Jr., 1B, Summerville, South Carolina Southern Wesleyan Lydia Clanton, Sr., UTL, Waynesboro, Mississippi (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas; 2019 First Team All-Conference Carolinas, Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, NCCAA All-South Region Team, NCCAA All-American First Team) Savannah Huff, Jr., INF, Piedmont, South Carolina (2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas) UNC Pembroke Tatum Brummitt, R-Sr., INF, Garner, North Carolina (2021 Co-Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year, PBC All-Tournament Team, PBC All-Conference, NFCA All-Region, D2CCA All-Region, NFCA 1st Team All-American, D2CCA 2nd Team All-American Mary Sells, R-Sr., INF, Statesville, North Carolina Jordan Adcox, R-Sr., C, Fayetteville, North Carolina (2021 Peach Belt All-Conference)