FRISCO, Texas – The Southland Conference announced its annual preseason All-Southland selections on Wednesday. The University of Central Arkansas softball team had three first-team honorees. Kaylyn Shepherd, Cylla Hill, and Kayla Crutchmer all earned postseason all-conference accolades last season.
 
Shepherd picked up her second preseason first-team honor for the second-straight season at first base. She earned a Second-Team All-SLC designation at the conclusion of last season. Last year, she led UCA with seven home runs and 32 walks. Her batting average of .349 leads all returners. She finished third in the SLC with an on-base percentage of .474, which was ranked 83rd in the NCAA. She tied for 14th in the country with five sacrifice flies and tied for third in the conference. She was third on the team with 33 RBIs. Defensively, she finished last season with a fielding percentage of .993 and led the team with 429 putouts.
 
"Shepherd is about to wrap up her fourth year as our starting first baseman. She is an outstanding defensive player and has been her entire career. Offensively. she has gotten better every year. She does a good job of being a complete hitter. She hits for average and power." – Head Coach David Kuhn
 
Hill collected her first preseason first-team selection at third base. She was a second-team selection at third base after her efforts last season. She tied for third in the Southland and 14th in the NCAA with five sacrifice flies. She was the fifth-toughest batter to strikeout in the conference and ranked 123rd in the country. She posted the third-best batting average on the team with a .345 average. She led the team with 59 hits and doubles with 14. She tied for second on the team with two triples, second on the team with 38 RBIs, and was third on the team with five home runs. Defensively, she was second on the team with 78 assists.
 
"Hill has been in our lineup somewhere on the field for the past three years. She has played third, shortstop, second, first, catcher, and DP for the Bears. Hill is a very unselfish player and has always done whatever we ask her to do. She is an outstanding hitter and has worked hard. She drives the ball gap to gap and has lots of power as well." – Head Coach David Kuhn
 
Crutchmer earned her first preseason award with her first-team designation in the outfield. She concluded last season with a second-team accolade. She finished eighth in the NCAA with 39 stolen bases and seventh in the country with .75 stolen bases per game, both ranked second in the Southland. She was the nation's 150th toughest to strikeout and eighth in the SLC. She finished the 2019 campaign with the third-most hits on the team with 53. She led the team with 41 runs scored. On the defensive side, Crutchmer recorded a fielding percentage of .913 and recorded 61 putouts in the outfield, which was second among UCA outfielders.
 
"Crutchmer has found herself in our lineup most of her entire career. She has game changing breakaway speed. When she gets on base, we usually score. She is on pace to be the UCA career stolen base record holder. Crutchmer is an outstanding defensive player as well. She is an amazing threat offensively as she can bunt, slap, or hit." – Head Coach David Kuhn
 
The Bears open the season on Thursday, Feb. 6, in Baton Rouge with a matchup against the No. 11 Tigers of LSU at 6 p.m.
 
 
First Team

Name		School		Pos.		Class		Hometown
Kaylyn Shepherd		Central Arkansas		1B		Sr.		Mechanicsville, Va.
Cayla Jones		Northwestern State		2B		Jr.		Missouri City, Texas
Cylla Hill		Central Arkansas		3B		Sr.		Henryetta, Okla.
Tiffany Thompson		Sam Houston State		SS		Sr.		Montgomery, Texas
Ella Manzer		Southeastern Louisiana		C		Jr.		Alexandria, La.
Jade Lewis		Lamar		DP		Sr.		Mont Belvieu, Texas
Megan McDonald		Sam Houston State		OF		Sr.		Georgetown, Texas
Madisen Blackford		Southeastern Louisiana		OF		Jr.		Des Moines, Iowa
Kayla Crutchmer		Central Arkansas		OF		Sr.		Tulsa, Okla.
Kassidy Wilbur		Stephen F. Austin		P		So.		Bridge City, Texas
Alley McDonald		Southeastern Louisiana		P		Sr.		Whitehouse, Tenn.
Alexsandra Flores		McNeese		P		Sr.		Lufkin, Texas
E.C. Delafield		Northwestern State		UT		Jr.		Stonewall, La.

 
Second Team

Name		School		Pos.		Class		Hometown
Samantha Dares		Nicholls		1B		Sr.		Metairie, La.
Bryana Novegil		Stephen F. Austin		2B		Jr.		Houston, Texas
Brooke Malia		Sam Houston State		2B		Jr.		Houston, Texas
Caitlin Garcia		Nicholls		3B		Jr.		Spring, Texas
Cori McCrary		McNeese		SS		Sr.		McCarley, Miss.
Alexis Perry		Northwestern State		C		So.		Wylie, Texas
Samantha Bradley		Abilene Christian		DP		Sr.		Azle, Texas
Kaylee Lopez		McNeese		OF		So.		Indian Bayou, La.
Elise Vincent		Northwestern State		OF		Sr.		Maurice, La.
Linsey Tomlinson		Abilene Christian		OF		Sr.		Huffman, Texas
Ashley Kriesel		Stephen F. Austin		P		Jr.		Houston, Texas
Sammi Thomas		Texas A&M-Corpus Christi		UT		So.		Buford, Ga.

 
 
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