ATLANTA, Ga. (January 30, 2023) - The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) has announced its 2023 Softball Preseason Teams as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. 
 
The 2023 preseason team represents nine programs and returns 22 of the 28 players from the 2022 Softball All-Conference Teams.
 
Defending SIAC champions, Tuskegee (29-13, 18-1 SIAC), won seven straight games and 16 of their last 18 games last season earning an automatic qualification into the NCAA postseason. The Golden Tigers placed six returners on this year's preseason team including catcher Nylah Strange-Lindley, first base and utility non-pitcher Jada Chadwick, and 2022 Utility Player of the Year and starting pitcher Kaeley Roldan. Last years' SIAC Player of the Year and third base Kendra Gibbons returns after leading the Golden Tigers in batting average (.403), slugging percentage (.731), hits (48), runs scored (37), and RBIs (32).
 
Spring Hill (27-17, 16-3 SIAC) placed six selections on this year's preseason team after a strong run in last year's championship tournament. The Badgers return 2022 SIAC Relief Pitcher of the Year Paityn Desormeaux, a 5-foot, 7-inch lefty who led the SIAC in hits allowed per 7 innings at 4.88 and finished the year with a 1.21 ERA and 10-5 record with 109 strikeouts and one save over 119.0 innings pitched. Last season, she also earned second team all-conference honors as well as a spot on the 2022 SIAC All-Tournament Team along with National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-South Region Team honors. Joining her are preseason selections starting pitcher Alexandra Ballester, outfielder Sophia Nuzzolillo, second base Macy Holt, and utility player Hailey Schultz. 
 
Lane (26-16, 7-12 SIAC) picked up five preseason selections. The Dragons return all-conference selections in designated player Savanna Johnson, utility non-pitcher Millay Lambert, and catcher Kaylee Stinnett who combined for a total 111 RBIs last season. They will be joined by outfielder Jayden McCarty and starting pitcher Autumn Phillips.
 
Albany State landed four standout student-athletes on the league's preseason team after finishing 35-9 overall and 16-3 in conference play last season. The Golden Rams return all-conference and all-tournament team selection in starting pitcher Trista Murphy who finished with an ERA of 2.87 in 75.2 innings last season leading her team to a third-place finish in last year's conference tournament. Among the list of the talented returners for ASU will be outfielders Kady Ayers and Glory Seay and relief pitcher Romona McLeod.
 
The Tigers of Benedict College (29-19, 11-7 SIAC) are tied at two preseason selections with the Golden Bears of Miles College. The Tigers offense will be anchored by outfielder Taylor McNeal and short stop Deyonce Lewis who is returning from last year's all-conference team. Last season, Lewis individually finished second in NCAA Division II in runs scored per game (1.36) and led the Tigers to be the nation's top-scoring team in 2022 averaging 8.52 runs per game.
 
Miles College Golden Bears (14-25-1, 9-9 SIAC) return two offensive threats in second base Shalayiah Waid and third base Genia Hall. Waid individually finished second for the Golden Bears in stolen bases (11) to lead the Golden Bears to be the Division II statistical champion in stolen bases per game averaging 4.22 stolen bases in 40 contests.
 
Fort Valley State, Kentucky State, and Savannah State collected one selection each to round out this year's preseason team.
 
A complete listing of the 2023 Softball Preseason All-SIAC Teams can be found below.
 
 

2023 SIAC Softball Preseason Team
First Team
Position	Name	School	Class	Hometown
Starting Pitcher	Alexandra Ballester*	Spring Hill	Junior	Fullerton, CA
Starting Pitcher	Trista Murphy*	Albany State	Sophomore	Ludowici, GA
Catcher	Nylah Strange-Lindley*	Tuskegee	Sophomore	Sulphur Springs, TX
First Base	Jada Chadwick*	Tuskegee	Senior	Columbus, GA
Second Base	Shalayiah Waid*	Miles	Sophomore	Oakman, AL
Short Stop	Tanisha Valdez*	Kentucky State	Junior	Maui, HI
Third Base	Kendra Gibbons*	Tuskegee	Grad Student	Lineville, AL
Outfield	Kady Ayers*	Albany State	Junior	Rockmart, Ga
Outfield	Sophia Nuzzolillo*	Spring Hill	Junior	Ponchatoula, LA
Outfield	Jayden McCarty	Lane	Sophomore	San Diego, CA
Relief Pitcher	Paityn Desormeaux*	Spring Hill	Junior	Lafayette, LA
Designated Player	Savanna Johnson*	Lane	Senior	Blue Mountain, MS
Utility Player	Kaeley Roldan*	Tuskegee	Sophomore	Wahiawa, HI
Utility Non-Pitcher	Millay Lambert*	Lane	Senior	Florence, AL

 

Second Team
Position	Name	School	Class	Hometown
Starting Pitcher	Kaeley Roldan*	Tuskegee	Sophomore	Wahiawa, HI
Starting Pitcher	Autumn Phillips	Lane	Sophomore	Harriman, TN
Catcher	Kaylee Stinnett*	Lane	Sophomore	Las Vegas, NV
First Base	Paityn Desormeaux*	Spring Hill	Junior	Lafayette, LA
Second Base	Macy Holt*	Spring Hill	Junior	Satsuma, AL
Short Stop	Deyonce Lewis*	Benedict	Grad Student	Decatur, GA
Third Base	Genia Hall*	Miles	Sophomore	Stone Mountain, GA
Outfield	Glory Seay	Albany State	Senior	Conyers, GA
Outfield	Taylor McNeal	Benedict	R-Junior	Martinez, GA
Outfield	Kayla McDuffie	Savannah State	Sophomore	Grayson, GA
Relief Pitcher	Romona McLeod	Albany State	Sophomore	Montgomery, AL
Designated Player	Laila Lavette*	Fort Valley State	Sophomore	Grovetown, GA
Utility Player	Hailey Schultz*	Spring Hill	Junior	Woodstock, GA
Utility Non-Pitcher	Jada Chadwick*	Tuskegee	Senior	Columbus, GA

 
*2022 SIAC All-Conference Honoree