SPATANBURG, S.C. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team is the favorite to claim the 2010 Southern Conference Softball Championship for the fourth-straight season, according to a vote by the league's coaches. A total of seven Lady Mocs were honored on Preseason All-Southern Conference teams with six earning first-team selection announced today by the league office.

Chattanooga received the maximum eight first-place votes with Georgia Southern getting the final vote (coaches cannot vote for their own team) The Eagles finished second overall in the voting followed by College of Charleston, Appalachian State and Samford to round out the top five. UNC Greensboro, Furman, Elon and Western Carolina complete the nine-team poll.

The Lady Mocs were well represented on the all-conference first team with four seniors: pitcher Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.), catcher Brittany Eason (Chattanooga, Tenn.), outfielders Lyndsey Stiles (Hixson, Tenn.) and Laci Upchurch (Madison, Tenn.) as well as two juniors: first baseman Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and second baseman Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.). Senior outfielder Kaity Kelley (Chattanooga, Tenn.) was the lone selection to the second team.

Loudermilk was the SoCon Pitcher of the Year in her first two seasons before shoulder surgery caused her to miss half of last season. She finished with a 7-3 mark and 1.92 ERA as a junior.

With the departure of four-year standout Toni Hutchison, Baker will transition to third base. The hot corner should come naturally as the junior played multiple times at first base last season when Fuzzard was pitching.

After redshirting last year with a shoulder injury, Upchurch is poised to become the UTC all-time home run leader needing just two more to pass Melissa Ramirez (2002-05) with 24. The fifth-year senior recorded a .302 batting average and nine home runs as a junior.

Last season, Baker, Fuzzard, Stiles and Kelley each ended the campaign with at least a .300 batting average showing their consistency at the plate.

The league's top honors went to Appalachian State catcher/third baseman Katie Boyd who is predicted to be player of the year, while Georgia Southern's Brianna Streetmon is the preseason pitcher of the year. Steetmon was last season's SoCon Pitcher of the Year finishing with a 17-10 record and 1.99 ERA.

The Lady Mocs open the season on Friday when UTC travels to Clermont, Fla. to battle Florida Atlantic at Noon in the National Training Center Elite Invitational. Three-top 11 teams are on the slate over the next two days with Michigan, Georgia and Oklahoma, while Chattanooga finishes the tournament against UCF Sunday.

Preseason Poll
Team (First Place Votes)
Points
1. Chattanooga (8) 64
2. Georgia Southern (1) 56
3. College of Charleston 47
4. Appalachian State 43
5. Samford 35
6. UNC Greensboro 27
7. Furman 25
8. Elon 14
9. Western Carolina 13

Preseason Player of the Year
Katie Boyd, C/3B, Appalachian State

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Brianna Streetmon, Georgia Southern

Preseason First-Team All-Conference
P Brooke Loudermilk, Chattanooga
P Brianna Streetmon, Georgia Southern
C Brittany Eason, Chattanooga
1B Michelle Fuzzard, Chattanooga
2B Tiffany Baker, Chattanooga
SS Nina Iduate, Georgia Southern
3B Kristie Shifflett, College of Charleston
OF Marie Fogle, Georgia Southern
OF Lyndsey Stiles, Chattanooga
OF Laci Upchurch, Chattanooga
DP Amber Hawkins, Western Carolina
UT Katie Boyd, Appalachian State

Preseason Second-Team All-Conference
P Lana Mackey, Furman
P Stephanie Royall, Samford
C Kaitlyn Piazzolla, Elon
1B Alex Emeterio, UNC Greensboro
2B Amber Shifflett, College of Charleston
SS Kaitlin Merkt, UNC Greensboro
3B Jenny Side, Georgia Southern
OF Katie Forbes, College of Charleston
OF Kaiti Kelley, Chattanooga
OF Sarah Rappe, Appalachian State
DP Megen Smith, Georgia Southern
UT Robyn Harmon, Samford