VALDOSTA — In a preseason poll of coaches throughout the Gulf South Conference, Valdosta State has been projected to finish second in the Gulf South Conference standings at the conclusion of the 2018 regular season. 

In addition, Jessica Mohl, Taylor Hartenbach, and Brandy Morgan were all selected to represent the Blazers as members of the 2018 Preseason All-GSC Team.

Mohl, who was named First Team All-GSC, First Team All-South Region by the NFCA, and Second Team All-South Region by the D2CCA in 2017, picked up preseason recognition after a junior season in which she led the GSC in runs scored (68), and ranked third all-time in Valdosta State history with 90 hits. The shortstop standout struck for four triples on the season, stole 29 bases, and hit two home runs, including a game-winner in the first game of the Gulf South Conference Tournament.

Serving as Valdosta State’s cleanup hitter for the majority of the 2017 season, Hartenbach spent a ton of time on the basepaths. Her .473 on base percentage placed her ninth in the GSC, and she also ranked among the league’s top ten in RBI’s (46, 8th), walks (37, T-1st), sacrifice bunts (13, T-2nd), and sacrifice flies (7, 1st). Hartenbach earned both All-GSC and All-Region honors at the end of last year’s campaign.

The third and final selection for the preseason All-GSC team was Morgan, who enters her senior year on the heels of an All-Region junior year that placed her among the league’s best in slugging percentage (.610, 9th), RBI’s (47, T-6th), and sacrifice flies (4, T-5th).

The Jasper, Fla. native has started every game that VSU has played during the last three seasons, and will enter the 2017 season with 39 career home runs. The number places her fourth all-time on Valdosta State’s career home run leaderboard, behind Courtney Albritton (75), Marti Littlefield (56), and Robin Williams (42). Last year, Morgan ranked second in the conference with 16 homers.

The release from the GSC on Wednesday indicated that the Blazers received 140 points in the voting total with one first-place vote. Head coach Thomas Macera’s club will be gunning for their seventh GSC Championship within the last ten years, and the program will enter the season with their eyes on a return trip to the Division II Softball National Tournament, where the Blazers have made an appearance in four of the last six seasons.

Landing in the top spot were the defending South Region Champion West Florida Argonauts. UWF scored 10 first place votes for 162 points in the poll, which was voted on by coaches throughout the league. Meanwhile, Mississippi College fell in at third place with 137 points to narrowly edge out Alabama-Huntsville in fourth with a 136 point total. North Alabama rounded out the top five with 126 points, and Lee represented the only remaining team to eclipse the century mark in points with a total of 123 for a predicted sixth place finish.

The GSC release also highlighted top newcomers in the conference and included Cassey Cornelius and Logan Hill. Cornelius has joined the Blazers this season as a freshman from Cook County, while Logan Hill transferred in as a sophomore. Cornelius is from Adel, and Hill hails from Lake Park.

The Blazers are wrapping up their second week of preseason practice and are prepared to kick off the 2018 season on Feb. 1st in Albany, where VSU will compete against the Albany State Golden Rams. The team’s home opener will take place against Georgia Southwestern on Feb. 7.

Also, don’t miss the annual Blazer Blast with both the baseball and softball teams on Jan. 27, at 1 p.m. at Billy Grant Field and Steel’s Diamond at Blazer Park.