NEW ORLEANS, La. – Sophomore pitcher Randi Rupp has been named the 2016 Sun Belt Softball Preseason Pitcher of the Year while the Texas State softball team was selected to finish fourth in the nine team league by vote of the league's head coaches Tuesday afternoon. In addition to Rupp, senior first baseman Kendall Wiley was an at-large selection to the preseason team.
UL Lafayette was selected as the favorite in the SBC followed by South Alabama and Georgia State to round out the top three spots.
Rupp, a native of Mont Belvieu, Texas, was named First-Team All-SBC as well as an NFCA All-Region selection in 2015 after leading the Bobcats and the league with 293 strikeouts.