From January 3 through the beginning of the regular season, we’re going to take a look at every Division 1 conference and Forecast what to expect in each league this season. Today, we take a look at Conference USA.
I. Conference Breakdown
Twelve teams play softball in Conference USA. Those programs include Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Southern Miss, UAB, UTEP, UTSA, and Western Kentucky.
One of the leagues most active in the recent conference realignments, no league saw the turnover of both arriving and departing teams as the C-USA. Seven softball teams will leave Conference USA next year, while four new ones will arrive at the same time.
Last season, North Texas won the CUSA West Division and earned the overall top seed in the conference tournament. Charlotte won the conference’s East division in the regular season. Western Kentucky and UAB faced off in the conference tournament championship game, and it was the Hilltoppers of WKU who emerged victorious and earned the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.
II. 2022 Award Predictions
Player of the Year: Sierra Frazier, UAB
Pitcher of the Year: Lindsey Walljasper, Charlotte
Coach of the Year: Ashley Chastain, Charlotte
Conference Champions: Charlotte 49ers
III. Who to Watch
Tata Davis, Southern Miss — Davis was one of two Golden Eagles to earn all-conference honors last season, and she returns for her final season of eligibility in 2022. After never hitting higher than .263 in a single season in her career, Davis led the USM program with a .324 batting average last season and finished second on the squad with seven home runs. She led the team in seven offensive categories, including with a .511 slugging percentage.
Charlotte — The talent level at Charlotte this season is higher than ever; head coach Ashley Chastain has done a tremendous job of mixing existing talent and incoming freshmen with veteran standouts through the transfer portal. The Niners excelled quickly with an East Division championship last season, but couldn’t get the job done in the conference tournament. With that successful season now under their belts, Chastain’s club is in good position to challenge for the NCAA tournament. Reigning C-USA Player of the Year Bailey Vannoy is coming off an injury, but she remains a stellar hitter and steady presence in the batting order. The Niners also boast newcomers to the lineup including ex-Ball State slugger Stacy Payton and former Oregon Duck Lexi Wagner.
Sierra Frazier, UAB — As a third-year sophomore in 2021, Frazier led the Blazers in eight total offensive categories, including with a .371 batting average, nine home runs, and a .682 slugging percentage. She saw time at multiple defensive positions, not just spending all of her time behind the plate, and was perfect in the field with a 1.000 fielding percentage. She finished the year riding a 33-game on-base streak that she’ll carry over into this year.
North Texas — The Mean Green have seen a total program turnaround since Rodney DeLong took over the reins, including a shared conference title in 2019 and a solo regular-season championship in 2021. An NCAA tournament berth has proven elusive for the program, but their last three years have been largely successful outside of that single non-happening. The Mean Green saw nearly a total turnover of their pitching staff after last season, returning only sophomore Janie Worthington. The remainder of the bullpen is made up of freshmen and newly-arrived transfers, including Ashley Peters from Purdue and Jaycee Cook from UAB. Tayla Evans – the team’s returning home run hitter from a year ago – is a name to watch on the offensive side of the ball.
IV. Coaching Moves
Two C-USA programs changed head coaches this summer; Louisiana Tech hired former Nevada skipper Josh Taylor, while FIU brought in ex-Arkansas leader Mike Larabee. Assistant coaching moves in the league included the promotions of Jody Davidson at Charlotte and Hunter Veach at UAB, as well as the hirings of Jason Gwyn at North Texas, Chelsea Cohen and Shelby Hiers at Louisiana Tech, and Lena Springer at UTEP.
V. Storylines to Watch
> Three Conference USA teams finished in the top 65 in RPI last season. Western Kentucky checked in at #45 in the final RPI, followed by UAB (#58) and Charlotte (#63).
> North Texas is scheduled to host the conference tournament; should the C-USA follow the lead of other conferences, the league could be in need of another host after UNT announced plans to leave for the AAC.
VI. Burning Questions
* Can Conference USA be a multi-bid league for the NCAA tournament?
* How will the summer’s massive realignment affect the teams that are still in the C-USA for now?
VII. Projected Standings
- Charlotte
- North Texas
- UAB
- Marshall
- Western Kentucky
- Middle Tennessee
- Louisiana Tech
- UTSA
- Southern Miss
- Florida International
- Florida Atlantic
- UTEP