Liberty Voted Favorite in CUSA Preseason Softball Poll
1/25/2024 2:10:00 PM | Softball
Conference newcomer Liberty was voted the favorite in the Conference USA Preseason Softball Poll. The poll was voted on by all nine of the conference's head coaches.
This is the sixth year in a row in which Liberty has been voted No. 1 in its preseason softball poll, as the Lady Flames were named the favorite in the ASUN in all five seasons in that conference. Liberty received six votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Collegiate Top 25 Poll earlier this week.
Hailing from Fredericksburg, Va., Bachman is the fourth player in program history to be voted conference preseason pitcher of the year, joining Tiffani Smith (2011 Big South), Julia DiMartino (2018 Big South, 2019 ASUN) and Emily Kirby (2022 ASUN).
Liberty is the first team since Louisiana Tech in 2019 to have both the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason Pitcher of the Year in the same season.
The Lady Flames were voted as the preseason favorite, receiving six first-place votes and 75 total points. Western Kentucky was picked second with 66 points and one first-place vote. Middle Tennessee, the 2023 Conference USA tournament champion, was voted third with two first-place votes and 60 points.
Louisiana Tech earned fourth place with 53 points, followed by FIU (41) in fifth. Conference newcomers Jacksonville State (38), New Mexico State (30) and Sam Houston (26) were listed sixth through eighth, while UTEP (16) is ninth.
A two-time All-ASUN selection, Roupe batted .317 with 15 homers, 50 RBI, a .634 slugging percentage and .415 OBP last year. She tied for the ASUN lead in homers (15) while ranking second in RBI (50) and fourth in slugging percentage (.642). In conference play, she totaled seven home runs (tied for second) and 22 RBI (third). A three-time ASUN Player of the Week, Roupe finished the regular season on a 10-game hitting streak in which she recorded five homers and 19 RBI. Roupe posted two grand slams on the season. Also a standout on defense, Roupe had two catches featured on SC Top 10 last season. She hit two homers at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional and scored the winning run in Liberty's 2-1 win over No. 2 UCLA on May 20.
Bachman had a breakthrough sophomore campaign last year, her first season as a full-time starter on Liberty's pitching staff. She posted a 10-9 record with a 2.35 ERA and four shutouts. In conference play, she went 6-2 with a 1.65 ERA and .174 opponents batting average, ranking third in the ASUN in conference-only opponents batting average and fourth in conference-only ERA. She tossed a complete-game two-hit shutout on Feb. 11 against San Jose State, becoming the first Liberty pitcher since 2001 to pitch a shutout in her first career start. Bachman struck out a career-high 12 batters in a two-hit shutout of Kennesaw State. The junior also drew the starting assignment in Liberty's first game at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional.
A native of Middletown, Del., Craine had a standout campaign at third base and also at the plate as a sophomore. She batted .292 with 12 doubles, three homers and 29 RBI. Craine finished the season tied for second on the team in both multiple-hit games (14) and three-hit games (three). She set a new program record, reaching base safely in 11 straight plate appearances from March 28 through April 1. The junior had back-to-back two-hit games against Ole Miss and Kansas, being named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge All-Tournament Team. She sent the game-winning two-run single into left center in the bottom of the seventh against All-American pitcher Valerie Cagle, giving Liberty a 5-4 victory over No. 6 Clemson, April 26 in Lynchburg.
Escobar joins the Lady Flames after a standout sophomore campaign for North Alabama. The right-hander brings a 14-10 career record and 2.94 ERA to Lynchburg from her time at UNA. Last season, Escobar went 11-5 with a .202 opponents batting average and three shutouts while ranking third in the ASUN with a 1.90 ERA. She was named to the 2023 ASUN All-Tournament Team after helping the Lions advance to the conference championship game. Escobar held Liberty to one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings pitched, striking out seven in the 2023 ASUN quarterfinal round.
The Lady Flames finished the 2023 season with a 40-22 record. The team earned the first at-large berth in program history, flying to California for the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. Liberty made the most of its time out west, eliminating No. 2 UCLA and Grand Canyon to make a Regional final for the third time in program history. The Lady Flames set program single-season records for wins over Top 25 teams (four) and games against Top 25 opponents (16) last year.
Liberty opens its 2024 season with 11 games in Florida, beginning with the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Feb. 9-11 in in Clearwater, Fla.
2024 CUSA Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Liberty (6) 75
2. Western Kentucky (1) 66
3. Middle Tennessee (2) 60
4. Louisiana Tech 53
5. FIU 41
6. Jacksonville State 38
7. New Mexico State 30
8. Sam Houston 26
9. UTEP 16
CUSA Softball Preseason Player of the Year
Rachel Roupe, Liberty
CUSA Softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Paige Bachman, Liberty University
CUSA Softball Preseason All-Conference Team
Isabelle Perez, So., C, FIU
Kendal Lunar, So., C, New Mexico State
Hannah Scheaffer, Sr. C, Sam Houston
Casey Goguts, Gr., DP/UT, FIU
Anyce Harvey, Jr., DP/UT, Middle Tennessee
Lindsey Richardson, Sr., INF, Jacksonville State
Ella Whitney, So. INF, FIU
Claire Raley, Jr., INF, Louisiana Tech
Rachel Craine, Jr., INF, Liberty
Shelby Echols, Sr., INF, Middle Tennessee
Taylor Sanders, Gr., INF, Western Kentucky
TJ Webster, Gr., INF, Western Kentucky
Kylie Neel, Gr., OF, Louisiana Tech
Rachel Roupe, Jr., OF, Liberty
Shelby Sargent, Sr., OF, Middle Tennessee
Riley Carley, R-Sr., OF, New Mexico State
Jaliyah Holmes, So., P, Jacksonville State
Allie Floyd, So., P, Louisiana Tech
Paige Bachman, Jr., P, Liberty
Elena Escobar, Jr., P, Liberty
Katie Gardner, Gr., P, Western Kentucky
This is the sixth year in a row in which Liberty has been voted No. 1 in its preseason softball poll, as the Lady Flames were named the favorite in the ASUN in all five seasons in that conference. Liberty received six votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Collegiate Top 25 Poll earlier this week.
Liberty junior outfielder Rachel Roupe was named CUSA Preseason Player of the Year, while junior pitcher Paige Bachman was voted CUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Bachman and Roupe were joined on the Preseason CUSA All-Conference team by junior infielder Rachel Craine and junior pitcher Elena Escobar.2024 CUSA Softball Preseason Poll ??#NoLimitsOnUs | https://t.co/1MFwDA6qKl pic.twitter.com/HJYLFzouxq
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) January 25, 2024
This is the fourth time that Liberty has had both preseason player of the year and preseason pitcher of the year (also 2018 Big South – Amber Bishop and Julia DiMartino; 2019 ASUN – Autumn Bishop and Julia DiMartino; 2022 ASUN – Kara Canetto and Emily Kirby).Congratulations to Rachel Roupe, the 2024 @ConferenceUSA Preseason Player of the Year! pic.twitter.com/bABWoPcXYQ
— Liberty Softball (@LibertySB) January 25, 2024
A native of Sharpsburg, Md., Roupe is the sixth player in program history to be named conference preseason player of the year, joining Jessica Moore (2006-07 Big South), Amber Bishop-Riley (2018 Big South, 2021 ASUN), Autumn Bishop (2019 ASUN), Kara Canetto (2022 ASUN) and Caroline Hudson (2023).Congratulations to Paige Bachman, the 2024 @ConferenceUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year! pic.twitter.com/UZZTRR0rpz
— Liberty Softball (@LibertySB) January 25, 2024
Hailing from Fredericksburg, Va., Bachman is the fourth player in program history to be voted conference preseason pitcher of the year, joining Tiffani Smith (2011 Big South), Julia DiMartino (2018 Big South, 2019 ASUN) and Emily Kirby (2022 ASUN).
Liberty is the first team since Louisiana Tech in 2019 to have both the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason Pitcher of the Year in the same season.
The Lady Flames were voted as the preseason favorite, receiving six first-place votes and 75 total points. Western Kentucky was picked second with 66 points and one first-place vote. Middle Tennessee, the 2023 Conference USA tournament champion, was voted third with two first-place votes and 60 points.
Louisiana Tech earned fourth place with 53 points, followed by FIU (41) in fifth. Conference newcomers Jacksonville State (38), New Mexico State (30) and Sam Houston (26) were listed sixth through eighth, while UTEP (16) is ninth.
A two-time All-ASUN selection, Roupe batted .317 with 15 homers, 50 RBI, a .634 slugging percentage and .415 OBP last year. She tied for the ASUN lead in homers (15) while ranking second in RBI (50) and fourth in slugging percentage (.642). In conference play, she totaled seven home runs (tied for second) and 22 RBI (third). A three-time ASUN Player of the Week, Roupe finished the regular season on a 10-game hitting streak in which she recorded five homers and 19 RBI. Roupe posted two grand slams on the season. Also a standout on defense, Roupe had two catches featured on SC Top 10 last season. She hit two homers at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional and scored the winning run in Liberty's 2-1 win over No. 2 UCLA on May 20.
Bachman had a breakthrough sophomore campaign last year, her first season as a full-time starter on Liberty's pitching staff. She posted a 10-9 record with a 2.35 ERA and four shutouts. In conference play, she went 6-2 with a 1.65 ERA and .174 opponents batting average, ranking third in the ASUN in conference-only opponents batting average and fourth in conference-only ERA. She tossed a complete-game two-hit shutout on Feb. 11 against San Jose State, becoming the first Liberty pitcher since 2001 to pitch a shutout in her first career start. Bachman struck out a career-high 12 batters in a two-hit shutout of Kennesaw State. The junior also drew the starting assignment in Liberty's first game at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional.
A native of Middletown, Del., Craine had a standout campaign at third base and also at the plate as a sophomore. She batted .292 with 12 doubles, three homers and 29 RBI. Craine finished the season tied for second on the team in both multiple-hit games (14) and three-hit games (three). She set a new program record, reaching base safely in 11 straight plate appearances from March 28 through April 1. The junior had back-to-back two-hit games against Ole Miss and Kansas, being named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge All-Tournament Team. She sent the game-winning two-run single into left center in the bottom of the seventh against All-American pitcher Valerie Cagle, giving Liberty a 5-4 victory over No. 6 Clemson, April 26 in Lynchburg.
Escobar joins the Lady Flames after a standout sophomore campaign for North Alabama. The right-hander brings a 14-10 career record and 2.94 ERA to Lynchburg from her time at UNA. Last season, Escobar went 11-5 with a .202 opponents batting average and three shutouts while ranking third in the ASUN with a 1.90 ERA. She was named to the 2023 ASUN All-Tournament Team after helping the Lions advance to the conference championship game. Escobar held Liberty to one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings pitched, striking out seven in the 2023 ASUN quarterfinal round.
The Lady Flames finished the 2023 season with a 40-22 record. The team earned the first at-large berth in program history, flying to California for the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. Liberty made the most of its time out west, eliminating No. 2 UCLA and Grand Canyon to make a Regional final for the third time in program history. The Lady Flames set program single-season records for wins over Top 25 teams (four) and games against Top 25 opponents (16) last year.
Liberty opens its 2024 season with 11 games in Florida, beginning with the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Feb. 9-11 in in Clearwater, Fla.
2024 CUSA Preseason Coaches Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Liberty (6) 75
2. Western Kentucky (1) 66
3. Middle Tennessee (2) 60
4. Louisiana Tech 53
5. FIU 41
6. Jacksonville State 38
7. New Mexico State 30
8. Sam Houston 26
9. UTEP 16
CUSA Softball Preseason Player of the Year
Rachel Roupe, Liberty
CUSA Softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Paige Bachman, Liberty University
CUSA Softball Preseason All-Conference Team
Isabelle Perez, So., C, FIU
Kendal Lunar, So., C, New Mexico State
Hannah Scheaffer, Sr. C, Sam Houston
Casey Goguts, Gr., DP/UT, FIU
Anyce Harvey, Jr., DP/UT, Middle Tennessee
Lindsey Richardson, Sr., INF, Jacksonville State
Ella Whitney, So. INF, FIU
Claire Raley, Jr., INF, Louisiana Tech
Rachel Craine, Jr., INF, Liberty
Shelby Echols, Sr., INF, Middle Tennessee
Taylor Sanders, Gr., INF, Western Kentucky
TJ Webster, Gr., INF, Western Kentucky
Kylie Neel, Gr., OF, Louisiana Tech
Rachel Roupe, Jr., OF, Liberty
Shelby Sargent, Sr., OF, Middle Tennessee
Riley Carley, R-Sr., OF, New Mexico State
Jaliyah Holmes, So., P, Jacksonville State
Allie Floyd, So., P, Louisiana Tech
Paige Bachman, Jr., P, Liberty
Elena Escobar, Jr., P, Liberty
Katie Gardner, Gr., P, Western Kentucky
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