COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West announced the 2025 MW Softball Preseason Poll and Honors on Thursday 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. Six seniors, five juniors and four sophomores are represented on the 15-person team. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players or team.
San Diego State was tabbed the MW preseason favorite with eight first-place votes and 64 points. The Aztecs went 31-20 overall and 15-7 in Conference play during the 2024 season, securing a No. 1 seed in the MW tournament and a first-round bye before ultimately earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Following San Diego State in the preseason poll is Boise State and Fresno State tied for second with 50 points each, UNLV in fourth with the remaining first-place vote (47), Nevada in fifth (31), Colorado State in sixth (27), Utah State in seventh (22 points), New Mexico (17) and San José State (16) fill in the eighth and ninth place, respectively.
Boise State’s sophomore outfielder Sophia Knight was selected as the 2025 Mountain West Softball Preseason Player of the Year. Knight earned the MW Freshman of the Year in 2024 after posting a .358 batting average, with 29 hits, 19 runs, seven RBIs. Defensively, she tallied 39 put outs, three assists and only one error.
Fellow sophomore Cece Cellura from San Diego State was named the 2025 MW Softball Preseason Player of the Year. Cellura pitched 45.2 innings for the Aztecs during the 2024 season with four saves. She posted an ERA of 3.07 with 19 strikeouts.
PRESEASON TEAM:
Sydney Groves, Jr., INF, Boise State
Mykenzie Hanna, Sr., OF, Boise State
Sophia Knight, So., OF Boise State
Jailey Wilson, So., INF, Colorado State
Serayah Neiss, Jr., P, Fresno State
Aaliyah Jenkins, Sr., C, Nevada
Haley Painter, Jr., 3B, Nevada
Cece Cellura, So., P, San Diego State
Cali Decker, Sr., C, San Diego State
Dee Dee Hernandez, Sr., P, San Diego State
Reina Zermeno, Jr., INF/UT, San José State
Jesse Farrell, So., C, UNLV
Ariana Martinez, Sr., INF, UNLV
Ariel Fifita, Sr., INF, Utah State
Grace Matej, Jr., C/INF, Utah State
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sophia Knight, So., OF, Boise State
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Cece Cellura, So., P, San Diego State
