LA Tech’s Edwards named Preseason C-USA Player of the Year

RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech sophomore Lindsay Edwards was voted the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year by the league coaches while sophomore Kimmie Atienza joined Edwards on the preseason all-league team.

The Lady Techsters, fresh off a sweep of the C-USA regular season and tournament titles in 2019, were picked to finish in third place this year in the Preseason Coaches Poll.

North Texas, who shared the regular season C-USA title with Tech last year, received nine first place votes followed by WKU with two first place votes. Tech picked up one first place vote and tied Marshall for third place in the poll, followed by UAB, Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss, Florida Atlantic, FIU, UTSA, UTEP and Charlotte.

Edwards, the 2019 Conference USA Freshman of the Year, picked up the top preseason award after a stellar rookie campaign that saw her bat .364 with 64 hits (both LA Tech freshman records), 12 doubles and five home runs.

The Plano, Texas, native scored 39 runs and drove in 38 runs. She recorded 18 multi-hit games, including six three-hit performances.

In addition to being named the C-USA Freshman of the Year, Edwards earned numerous awards on the field and in the classroom. She was named 1st team all-Conference USA, 1st team NFCA all-Mideast Region, LSWA State Freshman of the Year, 2nd team all-state by the LSWA, C-USA All-Freshman Team, C-USA All-Tournament team, Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll, C-USA Academic Medalist and Easton/NFCA Scholar Athlete.

Atienza earned a spot on the preseason all-league team after batting .355 with 54 hits, including six doubles and four home runs. She scored 48 runs and drove in 26 runs while stealing 29 bases in 31 attempts. She was named 1st team NFCA all-Mideast Region, 2nd team all-state by the LSWA, C-USA All-Tournament team, C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Easton/NFCA Scholar Athlete.

North Texas junior Hope Trautwein was named the Conference USA Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

The Lady Techsters open up the 2020 season Feb. 7-9 at the Big Easy Classic at LaSalle Park in Metairie, La.

2020 C-USA Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
1. North Texas (9)
2. WKU (2)
T3. Louisiana Tech (1)
T3. Marshall
5. UAB
6. Middle Tennessee
7. Southern Miss
8. Florida Atlantic
9. FIU
10. UTSA
11. UTEP
12. Charlotte

2020 Preseason Player of the Year
Lindsay Edwards, Louisiana Tech

2020 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Hope Trautwein, North Texas

2020 Preseason All-Conference Team
Pitcher: Kailee Williamson, Marshall
Pitcher: Hope Trautwein, North Texas
Pitcher: Kelsey Aikey, WKU
Catcher: Bailey Vannoy, Charlotte
Catcher: Kendall Smith, WKU
Infielder: Lindsay Edwards, Louisiana Tech
Infielder: Kimmie Atienza, Louisiana Tech
Infielder: Aly Harrell, Marshall
Infielder: Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee
Infielder: Lacy Gregory, North Texas
Infielder: Lacey Sumerlin, Southern Miss
Outfielder: Fayth Davis, Florida Atlantic
Outfielder: Mya Stevenson, Marshall
Outfielder: Katie Clark, North Texas
Outfielder: Destini Brown, Southern Miss
DP/Utility: Kasey Flores, UTEP