ATLANTA – A pair of North Florida softball players have been recognized as ASUN preseason honorees, as Halle Arends earned the conference’s Preseason Pitcher of the Year and Shannon Glover was selected as an All-Conference outfielder as announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon.
The Ospreys were also selected to finish fourth in the ASUN Conference this season as voted on by the coaches in the league with 148 total points. UNF narrowly edged out North Alabama and Jacksonville State to be placed among the top four teams entering the 2023 season.
“It’s great that our players are being recognized by the conference for their accomplishments on the field, said head coach Jeff Conrad. “We’re excited to get out on the diamond with lots of talent on our team entering the 2023 season.”
Arends is coming off a tremendous season where she was selected to the All-ASUN Second Team, as well as the All-ASUN Academic Team. She also earned her place on the ASUN All-Tournament Team with her outings in the postseason, while also being honored twice in the regular season as ASUN Pitcher of the Week.
She finished the 2022 season with a 20-6 record overall, as well as a 9-3 record in the ASUN, with 34 appearances total. She also made 24 starts while throwing eight complete games and one save on the year.
The Phoenix, Ariz., native tossed 153.0 total innings, which was the most on the team last season, on her way to a 1.74 ERA and 170 strikeouts. She also put in 72.2 innings during conference play with a 2.60 ERA and 87 strikeouts against ASUN competition.
Glover enters her senior campaign as the only First-Team All-ASUN selection from last season’s squad. She was also picked to the ASUN All-Freshman Team during the 2021 season, as well as the ASUN Honor Roll for each of the past three years.
The Oviedo, Fla., native completed her 2022 season ranked in the top 10 for the ASUN in both total hits and home runs. She started all 59 games in left field for the Ospreys and batted a team-high .337 with a team-high 62 hits, along with nine home runs, 38 RBI and 37 runs scored overall.
In conference play, she shined even brighter with a .364 batting average in 24 starts with 28 hits, 16 RBI, 17 runs and five home runs. She also recorded a hit in 19 of her 24 ASUN starts, including eight multi-hit games and one multi-homer game.
The Ospreys will be ready to kick off its 2023 season against IUPUI, Syracuse, Furman and Georgetown in the River City Leadoff from Feb. 10-12 at the UNF Softball Complex.
ASUN Softball Preseason All-Conference Team
- Preseason Player of the Year: Caroline Hudson, Liberty
- Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Halle Arends, North Florida
- Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Caroline Hudson, Liberty
P Halle Arends – North Florida
P Karlie Keeney – Liberty
C Caroline Hudson – Liberty
IF Mary Kate Brown – Central Arkansas
IF Taylor Cates – Kennesaw State
IF Devyn Howard – Liberty
IF Lexi Osowski – Austin Peay
OF Shannon Glover – North Florida
OF Tremere Harris – Central Arkansas
OF Jenna Wildeman – Central Arkansas
UT/DP Jaylee Engelkes – Central Arkansas
UT/DP Lindsey Richardson – Jacksonville State
ASUN Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Liberty (13) – 195
- Central Arkansas – 174
- Kennesaw State – 151
- North Florida – 148
- North Alabama – 132
- Jacksonville State – 129
- FGCU (1) – 101
- Austin Peay – 100
- Lipscomb – 86
- Jacksonville – 74
- Stetson – 67
- Eastern Kentucky – 65
- Bellarmine – 28
- Queens – 20
*(First Place Votes)
