Mountain West Announces 2024 Preseason Softball All-Conference Team, Individual Accolades and Predicted Order of Finish

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West announced today the 2024 Softball Preseason Coaches poll, All-Conference team and preseason award winners.

As voted on by the league’s nine head coaches, the preseason All-MW team consists of 12 players, regardless of position, and three pitchers. Ten seniors and five juniors are represented from amongst the 15 student-athletes. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players or teams.

San Diego State’s Mac Barbara was tabbed the 2024 preseason MW Player of the Year. Barbara finished the 2023 season batting .459 and logged 18 runs, 28 hits, 24 RBIs and eight home runs in Mountain West action alone.

Teammate and 2023 MW Pitcher of the Year Allie Light was named the preseason MW Pitcher of the Year. In Conference action, Light ended the 2023 season leading the league with a 1.37 ERA, recorded seven wins, one loss and two saves and only gave up 49 hits,16 runs and 12 earned runs over the course of 61.1 innings pitched in MW play.

All-Mountain West Preseason Team:

Taylor Caudill, Sr., RHP, Boise State

MyKenzie Hanna, Jr., OF, Boise State

Jordyn Hutchins, Sr., OF, Boise State

Hailey Smith, Sr., OF, Colorado State

Ashley York, Sr., OF, Colorado State

Taylor Gilmore, Sr., RHP, Fresno State

Keahilele Mattson, Sr., OF, Fresno State

Chelie Senini, Sr., OF, Nevada

Rachael Hathoot, Sr., INF, New Mexico

Mac Barbara, Jr., UTL, San Diego State

Cali Decker, Jr., UTL, San Diego State

Bella Espinoza, Jr., OF, San Diego State

Allie Light, Sr., RHP, San Diego State

Ariana “Nana” Martinez, Jr., INF, UNLV

Maddie Schmidt, Sr., SS/OF, UNLV

Preseason Player of the Year

Mac Barbara, Jr., UTL, San Diego State

Preseason Pitcher of the Year

Allie Light, Sr., RHP, San Diego State

No. 23/25/24 San Diego State earned the maximum number of first-place votes and was tabbed the preseason favorite by the Conferences head coaches with 64 points. The Aztecs finished the 2023

season with a 39-17 overall record and a 16-6 mark in Conference action. The 2023 Conference tournament champions made a deep run into postseason action, defeating Liberty twice and Grand Canyon once in the NCAA Los Angeles Regional to advance to the Salt Lake City Super Regional, where they finished their season, logging their 13^thappearance in the NCAA tournament and their first Super Regional in program history.

Boise State slides in behind the Aztecs, voted to finish in second with 57 points and the remaining first-place vote, followed by Colorado State in third with 46 points, Fresno State in fourth with 41 points, Nevada in fifth with 37 points, UNLV in sixth with 28 points, Utah State in seventh with 19 points, New Mexico in eighth with 17 points and San José State with 15 points to round out the predicted order of finish.

The 2024 season begins Thursday, Feb. 8, for Fresno State, Nevada and San Diego State. Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, San José State, UNLV and Utah State are scheduled to throw their first pitches the following day.

2024 MOUNTAIN WEST PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH