ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum University softball team has been voted to finish fifth in the preseason coaches' ballot, the South Atlantic Conference announced Tuesday (Jan. 27) morning. The Pioneers (Brooke Smith, Ellie Alvarez, and Abby Hunter) were named to the preseason first team, while Sammy Jimenez and Catherine O'Donohue were listed as players to watch.

Smith (Acworth, Ga.), the Pioneers' second baseman, earned national recognition for her work as a sophomore. She was named to the NFCA All-America third team at-large, along with two all-region second team selections. Smith played in all 57 games (tied seventh in a TU season), all starts (tied sixth in a TU season), while recording 85 hits (tied second in a TU season; ninth nationally), 60 runs (third in a TU season; 19th nationally), eight doubles, three triples, 28 RBI, 14 walks, and 30 steals (fourth in a TU season) in 187 at bats (sixth in a TU season). She averaged .455 (fifth in a TU season; 14th nationally) with a .512 OBP (fourth in a TU season) and .529 slugging percentage, adding eight hit by pitches (tied seventh in a TU season) and 11 sacrifice bunts for 99 total bases. Defensively, Smith is credited with 125 putouts and 75 assists for a .952 fielding percentage, aiding in six double plays. She had game highs of six at bats (tied second-most in a TU game), three runs (six times), four hits (twice), four RBI, two walks, three steals (twice), three sacrifice bunts (tied TU single game record), five putouts (three times), five assists, and two double plays. Through just two seasons, Smith has made her mark in the Tusculum career records: second in batting average (.428), second in on-base percentage (.484), fourth in hit by pitches (18), eighth in stolen bases (43), 14th in runs (101), and tied for 19th in slugging percentage (.514).

Alvarez (Plano, Ill.) was named to the all-conference third team as a junior for Tusculum. She played in all 57 games (tied seventh for a TU season) at shortstop, all starts (tied sixth for a TU season), recording 74 hits (eighth for a TU season), 53 runs (10th for a TU season), 12 doubles, four triples, three home runs, 33 RBI, 14 walks, and 27 steals (tied seventh for a TU season) across 188 at bats (tied fourth for a TU season). Alvarez averaged .394 with a .442 OBP and .548 slugging percentage, while also accounting for 103 total bases, which is tied for seven for a TU season). She was credited with 84 putouts and 83 assists, while aiding in seven double plays. Alvarez had highs of six at bats (tied second for a TU single game), three runs (twice), five hits (tied program record), three triples (program record), nine total bases (tied seventh for a TU single game), three RBI (twice), three walks, three steals, five putouts (twice), six assists, and three double plays. In her two seasons since transferring to TU, she is third in on-base percentage (.441), fourth in slugging (.595), eighth in batting average (.393), tied 10th in stolen bases (40), tied 11th in sacrifice flies (5), and tied 14th in home runs (12).

Hunter (Clemmons, N.C.) was named to the all-conference second team as a sophomore. She played in all 57 games (tied seventh for a TU season) as the Pioneer centerfielder, all starts (tied sixth for a TU season), recording 51 hits, 26 runs, eight doubles, four triples, one home run, 32 RBI, 13 walks, and 11 steals across 150 at bats. Hunter averaged .340 with a .385 OBP and .467 slugging percentage, while adding one hit by pitch, five sacrifice flies (tied program record), and two sacrifice bunts. She was credited with 144 putouts and four outfield assists for a .987 fielding percentage. Hunter had game highs of five at bats, two runs (three times), three hits (three times), two doubles, four RBI, two walks, two steals (twice), and seven putouts (twice). For her career, she is tied for 11th in sacrifice flies (5), tied 12th in fielding percentage (.981), and is 17th in batting average (.330).

Jimenez (Bartlett, Ill.) was named to the all-conference third team as a junior, playing in 55 games, primarily as the catcher. She recorded 52 hits, 47 runs (12th in a TU season), 12 doubles, one triple, six homers, 54 RBI (second in a TU season), 22 walks, and five steals across 154 at bats, while averaging .331 with a .412 OBP and .539 slugging percentage. Jimenez added two hit by pitches, four sacrifice flies (tied fourth in a TU season), and three sacrifice bunts. Defensively, she was credited with 203 putouts and 23 assists for a .987 fielding percentage, aiding in three double plays with seven runners caught stealing. Jimenez had game highs of five at bats, three runs (twice), three hits (twice), five RBI, three walks, two steals, 12 putouts, three assists (twice), and two double plays turned. For her career, she ranks third in home runs (26), sixth in slugging percentage (.585), tied seventh in sacrifice flies (6), eighth in RBI (136), eighth in walks (63), ninth in runs (112), 11th in on-base percentage (.405), and 12th in total bases (254). 

O'Donohue (Pinckney, Mich.) comes to the Pioneers after spending three seasons at Ferris State as a pitcher/first baseman. In the circle, she appeared in 64 games (35 starts), collecting an 18-16 record with four saves. O'Donohue notched 11 complete games across 236.2 innings with 169 strikeouts on a 3.14 earned run average. Defensively, she has a .987 fielding percentage in 78 chances across 103 games. At the plate, O'Donohue totaled 30 runs, 64 hits, 12 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 34 RBI, 13 walks, and six stolen bases for a .294/.336/.404 slashline in 218 at bats. She had highs of five at bats (twice), two runs (four times), three hits (three times), four RBI, 8.1 innings pitched, and nine strikeouts (pitching) for the Bulldogs.

The Pioneers received 95 total points in a vote of the conference's 12 head coaches. The top-three teams reached triple-digits: Lenoir-Rhyne (130), Wingate (123), Lincoln Memorial (101). The Bears claimed nine first-place votes, with the Bulldogs garnering the final three. Carson-Newman and Tusculum were separated by just four points, as the Eagles earned 99 tallies. Rounding out the top-10 were Anderson (79), Emory & Henry (74), Catawba (67), Mars Hill (53), and Newberry (47). UVA Wise (30) and Coker (26) were picked in the last slots.

Going into her 14th year as the Pioneer head coach, Julie Huebner has the 350-win milestone within her grasp. Currently at 335 victories, the second-winningest mentor in program history has a roster built of 13 returners, eight freshmen, and four transfers.

The Tusculum University softball team kicks off its 2026 campaign with a home doubleheader with Bluefield State (Feb. 4) before taking part in the second annual Big Region Preseason Invitational (Feb. 7-8) in Johnson City.

The South Atlantic Conference Tournament will remain the same in 2026. The event will be played over two weekends (May 1-3, 7-9), with the top eight seeds qualifying for the postseason event. The top four teams will host the bottom four teams over the first weekend, with the highest remaining seed playing host to the remaining teams for the second weekend, all in a double-elimination format.

 
2026 Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll

2026 Softball Preseason All-Conference
All-SAC First Team
C – Lani Warren, Lenoir-Rhyne
1B – Avery Kiger, Lenoir-Rhyne
2B – Brooke Smith, Tusculum
SS – Ellie Alvarez, Tusculum
3B – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman
OF – Kaylee Hobgood, Wingate
OF – Abby Hunter, Tusculum
OF – Maddy Staples, Newberry
DP – Hanna Bogoski, Lincoln Memorial
UTL/Non-P – Brianna Gallagher, Catawba
UTL/P – Carson Hobbs, Anderson
P – Katie Morris, Anderson
P – Jillian Thomas, Wingate

Players to Watch
Anderson: Shelby Bandt, Kora Kilgore, Bella Harbour
Carson-Newman: Grace Gregory, Santana Anderson, Abbi Martin, Malyiah Smith
Catawba: Alex Baquie, Maddy Altiers, Grace Flynn, Kate Holland
Coker: Cheyenne Palmer, Mya Cribbs, Brooklyn Lovin, Bailee Gaskins, Lacey Hennessy
Emory & Henry: Abigail Street, Rachel Hill, Malorie Reeves, Hannah Booth, Tristyn Tofano
Lenoir-Rhyne: Sage Young, Autumn Joyce, Montana Honeycutt
Lincoln Memorial: Reese Vivrette, Hannah McMeen, Kristin Griffin, Anna Kate Reichter
Mars Hill: Maia Sholter, Bri Weimer, Sara Rexrode, Brooke Hanson, Sydney Hodges
Newberry: Sam Clark, Maddy Staples, Peyton Little, Haidyn Campbell
Tusculum: Sammy Jimenez, Catherine O'Donohue
UVA Wise: Taylor Clay, Adyson Gibson, Chloe Murphy, Kaylynn Baker, Lindsey Polan
Wingate: Lily Robbins, Lily Huneycutt, Damyia McFadden