Pac-12 softball coaches picked UCLA to win the conference championship in 2017, with Oregon projected to finish tied for third and Oregon State seventh.
2017 Pac-12 preseason softball coaches poll 1. UCLA 2. Arizona T3. Oregon T3. Washington 5. Utah 6. Cal 7. Oregon State 8. Arizona State 9. Stanford
UO received one first-place vote and 47 points overall to tie with Washington in the poll, while OSU had 21 points.
The Ducks, who begin the season Feb. 9 against Virginia in Tempe, Arizona, are ranked ninth in the preseason NFCA poll and return infielders Jenna Lilley and Nikki Udria, both of whom were selected to the watch list for USA Softball’s player of the year award.
Coach Mike White’s program is coming off a 48-10 season that ended with UO’s fourth consecutive Pac-12 title and seventh consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament Super Regional round. Yet they are searching to replace much of the firepower from that team following the departures of Cheridan Hawkins, the school-record pitcher who won half of UO’s games last season, and five of UO’s 10 best hitters, in terms of average.
Oregon State finished 30-20-1 in 2016 and seventh in the conference. The Beavers return their top three hitters in McKenna Arriola (.368), Natalie Hampton (.349) and Shelby Weeks (.345).
Oregon State also opens Feb. 9, against UAB, as part of a tournament in Honolulu.
— Andrew Greif
agreif@oregonian.com
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