BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – LSU senior infielder Bianka Bell, along with sophomore right-handed pitcher Carley Hoover, were two of 14 total selections to the 2016 Preseason All-SEC Team the league announced on Thursday.
Bell earned a spot on the preseason list for the second consecutive year, while Hoover was picked for the first time in her LSU career as both finished last year as first team All-SEC selections. LSU was one of four member institutions to earn multiple selections on this year’s list along with Florida and Auburn with three each and Alabama with two picks.
The Tampa, Florida, product, Bell heads into her senior season after a successful 2015 campaign where she set the program record for home runs in a single season with 18, while claiming the career mark with 44 through just three seasons. She was a first team All-American at the end of the year, hitting .415 on the year with 85 hits with 19 doubles, setting a record for total bases with 169.
Hoover led the Tiger pitching staff in wins (18), earned run average (1.78), appearances (35), innings pitched (169.0), strikeouts (174), complete games (15) and saves (5), while finishing tied for first in shutouts (6) and starts (22). The winner of three league weekly awards last year, the Clemson, South Carolina, native earned four games with double figure strikeouts, en route to finishing 27th in the nation in earned run average in earning a spot on the NFCA All-America Third Team.
The Preseason All-SEC Softball Team is voted on by the league’s head coaches and consists of a minimum of 14 players. Each SEC head coach voted for five infielders, four outfielders, three pitchers, one catcher and one designated player/utility. No ties were broken.
LSU opens the 2016 season with the Tiger Classic beginning on Friday, February 12 at Tiger Park. The team opens the regular season at 5 p.m. with the Ohio State Buckeyes in Baton Rouge.
For all of the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/lsusoftball along with @lsusoftball and @BethTorina on Twitter and @lsusb on Instagram.
2016 Preseason All-SEC Softball Team
Name, School, Position, Cl., Ht., Hometown
Emily Carosone, Auburn, IF, Sr., 5-4, Orlando, Fla.
Kasey Cooper, Auburn, IF, Jr., 5-4, Dothan, Ala.
Kelsey Stewart, Florida, IF, Sr., 5-6, Wichita, Kan.
Alex Hugo, Georgia, IF, Sr., 5-8, Olathe, Kan.
Bianka Bell, LSU, IF, Sr., 5-5, Tampa, Fla.
Haylie McCleney, Alabama, OF, Sr., 5-4, Morris, Ala.
Tiffany Howard, Auburn, OF, Sr., 5-5, Pembroke, Ga.
Kirsti Merritt, Florida, OF, Sr., 5-4, Lake Panasoffkee, Fla.
Alaynie Page, South Carolina, OF, Sr., 5-6, Boiling Springs, S.C.
Alexis Osorio, Alabama, P, So., 5-8, Riverside, Calif.
Kelsey Nunley, Kentucky, P, Sr., 5-10, Soddy Daisy, Tenn.
Carley Hoover, LSU, P, So., 6-2, Clemson, S.C.
Aubree Munro, Florida, C, Sr., 5-10, Brea, Calif.
Rainey Gaffin, Tennessee, DP/UT, Sr., 5-10, Thornton, Calif.