Cougars ranked No. 1 in WCC preseason poll, six players garner individual honors

SAN MATEO, Calif. — BYU softball is ranked No. 1 in the 2022 West Coast Conference preseason coaches poll, the WCC announced Wednesday afternoon. The Cougars received five out of six first place votes.

Position players Huntyr Ava, Marissa Chavez, Martha Epenesa, HannaJo Mills and Violet Zavodnik were also added to the 2022 All-WCC Preseason Softball Team, while senior Autumn Moffat-Korth was added to the 2022 All-WCC Preseason Softball Team for pitchers. BYU led all conferences in preseason awards with six total nominees.

BYU softball claimed its seventh consecutive WCC title in 2021. BYU earned the 2021 championship with a conference adjusted winning percentage of .898, since the conference title was decided by the Ken Pomeroy Conference Adjusted Winning Percentage without a full league schedule completed. BYU played 12 of a possible 15 games in conference play last season, finishing 11-1 in those contests. 

Zavodnik, a sophomore outfielder, is the reigning WCC Freshman and Player of the Year and Moffat-Korth is the reigning WCC Pitcher of the Year.

The Cougars have their season opener this Thursday, Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. PST against UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Rebel Classic, where the team will play five total games over the weekend.

2022 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll

*BYU received 5 first place votes