ATLANTA, Ga. - 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.
 
Benedict placed a pair of players on the second team. Shortstop Deyonce Lewis, a second-team All-Conference selection at the end of the 2022 season, returns as a second team selection. Outfield Taylor McNeal was also named to the second team.
 
Lewis hit a team-best .432 last season for the Lady Tigers and scored 65 runs, helping to lead Benedict to the NCAA Division II statistical leader for runs scored per game. She had a team-best 17 doubles and a slugging percentage of .712. She was successful in all 30 stolen base attempts.
 
McNeal was second on the team with a .421 batting average. She scored 56 runs and stole 29 bases.

Benedict opens the 2023 season on Feb. 6 with a doubleheader at Columbia College starting at 1 p.m. The home opener will be Feb. 10 against St. Augustine's at 1 p.m.
 
Defending SIAC champions, Tuskegee (29-13, 18-1 SIAC) placed six returners on this year's preseason team, including 2022 Utility Player of the Year and starting pitcher Kaeley Roldan and last years' SIAC Player of the Year and third base Kendra Gibbons.
 
Spring Hill (27-17, 16-3 SIAC) placed six selections on this year's preseason team. Lane (26-16, 7-12 SIAC) picked up five preseason selections. Albany State landed four student-athletes on the league's preseason team after finishing 35-9 overall and 16-3 in conference play last season. The Golden Bears of Miles College (14-25-1, 9-9 SIAC) placed two on the preseason squad. 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