PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The University of Tulsa softball team garnered six first-place votes and the squad was picked to repeat as American Athletic Conference champions by the league's coaches, the conference office announced on Wednesday.
TU earned 48 points, while Houston picked up a pair of first-place votes and 44 points. USF was picked to finish third, followed by UCF, league newcomer Wichita State, Memphis, UConn and ECU.
Tulsa returns 13 letterwinners, including seven position starters and NFCA All-American pitcher Emily Watson, from last year's team. The 2017 team went 41-17 overall and 15-3 in conference action to win the program's first regular-season title since joining The American prior to the 2015 campaign.