Rock Hill, S.C. – Only 11 days out from the beginning of the 2021 season, the Lincoln Memorial University softball team, off the strength of a tremendous run the previous spring, has been projected as the second-highest ranked squad in the 11-team South Atlantic Conference following a vote by the league's head coaches. Along with the preseason SAC poll announced on Monday morning, a trio of Lady Railsplitter infielders earned spots on the All-SAC front for the second consecutive season.

Graduate second baseman Ty-Kella Goins, a three-time All-SAC first-teamer and two-time All-Region performer, landed preseason first team honors for the fourth year in a row. Junior shortstop Sierra Hucklebee and senior first baseman Emma Webb both landed spots on the All-Conference second team list, both doing so for the second consecutive year.

Before the 2020 season came to an abrupt end in early March, the Lady Railsplitters had powered their way to a # 14 ranking in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association Poll. Earlier in the year, LMU was thrusted inside the national Top 10 for the first time in school history, climbing as high as # 8 after an 11-1 start.

Remaining inside the NFCA's Top 15 for the entire season, the Lady Railsplitters put together a final record of 16-5, one year after capturing the SAC Regular Season Championship for the first time in program history on their way to a 38-win NCAA Division II Southeast Super Regional appearance in 2019.

LMU outscored their opponents 138-81 in their 21 games, including a 79-22 difference during a 10-game winning streak. In Head Coach Ritchie Richardson's third season in charge, the Lady Railsplitters posted a cumulative batting average of .306, totaling 173 hits, 30 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs, and 120 RBI.

With five preseason All-SAC selections, the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears earned seven first place votes among the league's coaches for the # 1 spot in the poll, six points better than LMU at 146. While the Lady Railsplitters featured three first place votes themselves, two other schools in the conference also garnered at least one, as Carson-Newman placed third with 134 points and one first place vote, and the Anderson Trojans totaled 126 points and two first-place votes, good for fourth place.

Rounding out the rest of the preseason SAC rankings, Wingate clocked in at fifth with 105 votes, followed by Newberry in sixth (102), Coker in seventh (77), Queens in eighth (72), Limestone in ninth (66), Tusculum in 10^th (58), and Catawba in 11^th (55).

Already one of the most productive players in school history, Goins prepares for her fifth season in the blue and gray with two All-Southeast Region selections and a D2CCA All-America credit to her stellar resume. Named as one of the finalists to the 2020 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II Player of the Year Top 50 watch list, Goins ranked 13^th in the nation in runs per game last season at 1.25. The Ramseur, NC (Eastern Randolph HS) native piled up a .362 batting average on 25 runs and hits scored. Providing seven multi-hit performances last spring, Goins was flawless on stolen base attempts at seven-for-seven, posting a .963 fielding percentage on 43 putouts. After leading the country in doubles in 2019, Goins recorded a .478 slugging percentage, landing 33 total bases in 21 appearances.

Hucklebee's sophomore run with the Lady Railsplitters in 2020, while short-lived, was incredibly efficient as the Knoxville, TN product led the team in six different categories. The 2019 South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year ranked first in the conference and 10^th in the nation with 10 doubles next to 28 hits on a .384 batting average. Launching six homers in 21 games, Hucklebee's 25 RBI, .795 slugging percentage, and nine multi-hit outings helped pave the way for LMU's success last season.

Webb enters her final season with the blue and gray as one of the team's most dangerous weapons on both the offensive and defensive end of the field. Hitting a .379 batting average (second on the roster behind Hucklebee) in 66 trips to the plate, Webb scored 14 runs in total on 25 hits, while also registering a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on the strength of 130 putouts at first base. With seven multi-hit performances and five games of two or more RBI, the Knoxville, TN native was one of two Lady Railsplitters to be named the SAC Player of the Week in 2020, alongside junior catcher McKenzie Henry.

Opening the 2021 40-game slate on the weekend of February 6^th-7^th, LMU hosts a non-conference invitational vs. Ohio Dominican and Maryville (Missouri) at Dorothy Neely Field, facing each team twice in two days. First pitch of the season against ODU that Saturday will take place at 2:00 p.m., followed by a 4:00 start time against Maryville later that afternoon in Harrogate.
 
2021 SAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
 
Rank                School (First Place Votes) (Points)
1                      Lenoir-Rhyne (7) (146)
2                      Lincoln Memorial (3) (140)
3                      Carson-Newman (1) (134)
4                      Anderson (2) (126)
5                      Wingate (105)
6                      Newberry (102)
7                      Coker (77)
8                      Queens (72)
9                      Limestone (66)
10                    Tusculum (58)
11                    Catawba (55)
 
2021 SAC Softball Preseason All-Conference
 
All-SAC First Team
OF – Savannah Moorefield, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – McKenzie Barneycastle, Newberry
OF – Chloe Pelham, Coker
1B – Haley Simonds, Newberry
2B – Ty-Kella Goins, Lincoln Memorial
SS – Talon LaClair, Lenoir-Rhyne
3B – Hannah Towery, Newberry
3B – Kaylee Jones, UVA Wise
DP – Kayson Boatner, Anderson
UTL – Aubrey Reep, Wingate
C – Kylee Leonhardt, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Morgan Beeler, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – Isabelle Mullen, Coker
 
All-SAC Second Team
OF – Haley Caldwell, Carson-Newman
OF – Anna Alloway, Tusculum
OF – Sam Hogan, Wingate
1B – Alexis Grampp, Tusculum
2B – Brittney Franse, Tusculum
SS – Sierra Hucklebee, Lincoln Memorial
3B – Emma Webb, Lincoln Memorial
DP – McKenzie McCullen, Queens
UTL – Lacie Rinus, Carson-Newman
C – KaraLynne Levi, Carson-Newman
P – Lauren Rakes, Lenoir-Rhyne
P – McKenna Falwell, UVA Wise
 
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