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Softball

Gainesville Bound

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Stanford (32-18) vs. Boise State (34-14)
Friday • 9 a.m. PT • Gainesville, Fla.
TV • ESPNU
Live Statistics • NCAA.com

No. 5 Florida (44-15) vs. Boston University (37-18)
Friday • 11:30 a.m. PT • Gainesville, Fla.
TV • SECN
Live Statistics • NCAA.com

QUICK HITS
» Stanford owns the #28 RPI in the nation ... is making its first NCAA regional appearance since 2013 (17th overall) ... is 41-36 all-time in NCAA Tournament play ... has reached the Super Regional round five times (last: 2011) and the WCWS twice (last: 2004) ... is receiving votes in this week's USA Today/NFCA (1) and USA Softball (5) polls ... earned a national ranking (#22 according to Softball America) on March 5 for the first time since April 1, 2014 (#24 in NFCA and USA Softball) ... won a two-game series at Cal for its first Pac-12 series win since sweeping Cal from May 3-5, 2013 ... knocked off No. 2 UCLA on May 3 to record its first win over a top-two opponent since beating No. 2 UCLA, 12-9, on May 2, 2014 ... now owns two wins over a top-seven opponent this year, as the Cardinal defeated then-No. 7 LSU on the road on February 21 ... last defeated two or more top-seven opponents in 2011 (5) ... 30-7 record to start the season was the best since 2010 (30-7) ... 32 wins are the most in a season since 2013 (39-21) ... started Pac-12 play 3-0 for the first time in program history ... 7-2 start to Pac-12 play was the best since the 2005 squad started 8-2 ... eight Pac-12 wins are more than the previous four years combined (7) ... has had 20 games decided by two or fewer runs this year (17-3), including going 13-3 in one-run contests ... won 12 straight games from February 21-March 8 ... 12-game win streak was the longest since the 2014 squad began the year 13-0 ... had not dropped consecutive games all year until being swept at #7 Arizona from April 18-20 ... snapped a three-game skid with win over UCLA on May 3, but has dropped five straight and 11 of the last 13 ... has delivered 82 two-out RBI, including 11 against Santa Clara on April 9, and is batting .264 (109x413) with two out ... is 17-for-50 (.340) with the bases loaded (2 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR) ... has put the leadoff hitter on base 42% of innings ... leads the Pac-12 in triples (25) and is second in the nation in triples per game (.50) ... 25 triples are a Stanford single-season record ... has scored first in 27 of the 50 games this year, and is 24-3 when scoring first ... has swiped 40 bases in 48 attempts to place seventh in the Pac-12 in stolen bases ... ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in ERA (3.36) ... is 3-8 against ranked opponents ... is 18-5 when hitting a home run ... is 22-1 when scoring five or more runs in a game (10-17 when scoring less than five).
» Whitney Burks is batting .297 (19x64) with runners aboard ... reached in 12 straight games from March 23 to April 13.
» Teaghan Cowles leads the team and is 12th in the Pac-12 in average ... owns a team-best 19 multi-hit games ... had a 12-game hit streak snapped on April 12 vs. Utah (.619, 26x42, 8 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, HR, 7 RBI), but has hit safely in 37 of 50 games this year, including 31 of the last 40 overall ... reached in 16 straight games from March 10 - April 18 ... was named Pac-12 and Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week on March 5 after hitting .818 with an .889 OB% and 1.455 SLG% at the Stanford Invitational ... also garnered Pac-12 Player of the Week on April 1 after batting .688 to guide Stanford to a 4-1 record, including a series win over Oregon, the previous week ... raised her batting average 102 points over five games from March 1-3 (.271 to .373) ... hit safely in 10 straight games from February 22-March 8 (.500, 15x30, 16 R, 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI) ... is second in the Pac-12 in triples (5) ... batting 22-for-57 (.386) with runners aboard and .371 (39x105) with the bases empty ... hit .343 in Pac-12 play.
» Montana Dixon has reached in 43 of 50 games this year, including 38 of the last 41 overall, and 17 straight from March 9 - April 14 ... has been hit by 11 pitches this year to rank second in the Pac-12 ... is hitting .341 (15x44) with runners in scoring position and .474 (9x19) with runners in scoring position and two out ... is 14-for-46 (.304) when hitting with two out ... is batting .462 (6x13) with two runs scored and two homers over the last five games.
» Hannah Howell has reached safely in 31 of her 42 games played ... ranks second on the team in batting average (.310) ... owns 10 multi-hit games ... is hitting .386 (22x57) with the bases empty and .429 (9x21) when leading off an innning ... hit a team-best .344 in Pac-12 play.
» Kristina Inouye is 18-for-50 (.360) with runners in scoring position ... is batting .421 (8x19) when leading off an inning ... launched a grand slam vs. Cal Poly on March 3 ... is tied for fourth in the Pac-12 in triples (4) ... team leader in RBI (31) and has amassed eight multi-RBI games ... second on team with 12 multi-hit games.
» Emily Klingaman has reached base in 36 of her 50 games played this year, including 11 straight from March 1-24.
» Carolyn Lee ranks 12th in the Pac-12 in ERA (3.36), 10th in strikeouts (104) and 11th in victories (11) ... has logged 4+ innings in 22 of 28 starts.
» Kiana Pancino is 7-0 with eight saves and a 2.50 ERA over 28 appearances (one start) ... leads the Pac-12 and is third in the nation in saves (8) ... ranks ninth in the Pac-12 in ERA.
» Emily Schultz ranks third on the team in average (.301) and is second in SLG (.581) and OB% (.421) ... went 5-for-6 with three doubles, a home run and seven RBI over a doubleheader against Saint Mary's on March 27 ... launched a two-run homer to provide all the  run support Stanford would need in a 2-1 win over #2 UCLA on May 3 ... has seen 16 of her 28 hits go for extra bases (nine 2B, four 3B, three HR) ... is tied for fourth in the Pac-12 in triples (4) ... owns eight multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games.
» Emily Young reached in 11 straight games from March 27 - April 14 ... connected for a two-out inside-the-park grand slam in the bottom of the third against Seattle University on February 9 ... is tied for second in the Pac-12 in triples (5) ... was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on March 5 ... batting .393 (24x61) with the bases empty and .393 (11x28) when leading off an inning ... owns 10 multi-hit games.

THIS WEEK
Stanford will make its first appearance in an NCAA regional since 2013 this week, traveling to the Gainesville Regional to face Boise State on Friday at 9 a.m. PT in a game that will air live on ESPNU. The Cardinal will be joined by fifth-seed Florida and Boston University. The regional is double-elimination, and the winner will advance to face the winner of the Knoxville Regional in the Super Regional round.

ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Division I Softball Championship provides for a field of 64 teams to compete in the national tournament. Of the 64 teams, 32 teams received automatic qualification with the remaining best 32 teams selected on an at-large basis by the Division I Softball Committee. The 16 winning teams from this week's regional rounds advance to the Super Regionals. Super Regionals will be held May 23-26 on eight campus sites. At each site, two teams play in a best-of-three tournament format. The winners from each site advance to the NCAA Women's College World Series from May 30 - June 5 at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium - OGE Energy Field in Oklahoma City. The eight teams will compete in a double elimination bracket with the final two teams then competing in a best of three format. This is the 38th annual NCAA Division I Softball Championship and the 29th time that Oklahoma City and USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium - OGE Energy Field will host this premier college softball championship event.

GAINESVILLE REGIONAL SCHEDULE
G1 | Boise State vs. Stanford | Friday, May 17 at 9 a.m. PT | ESPNU
G2 | No. 5 Florida vs. Boston University | Friday, May 17 at 11:30 a.m. PT | SEC Network
G3 | Winner G1 vs. Winner G2 | Saturday, May 18 at 11 a.m. PT
G4 | Loser G1 vs. Loser G2 | Saturday, May 18 at 1:30 p.m. PT
G5 | Loser G3 vs. Winner G4 | Saturday, May 18 at 4 p.m. PT
G6 | Winner G3 vs. Winner G5 | Sunday, May 19 at 9 a.m. PT
G7 | Winner G6 vs. Loser G6 | Sunday, May 19 at 11:30 a.m. PT (if necessary)

STANFORD VS. GAINESVILLE REGIONAL FIELD

OpponentRecordAll-Time Results
Boise State1-1

L, 9-1 (6), 2/27/16 at Mary Nutter Classic (Cathedral City, Calif.)
W, 9-1 (5), 2/11/18 at Kajikawa Classic (Tempe, Ariz.)

Florida1-1

L, 4-3, 3/2/08 at Worth Classic (Fullerton, Calif.)
W, 2-0, 3/5/10 at DeMarini Invitational (Fullerton, Calif.)

Boston University1-1

L, 4-2, 3/9/01 at Speedline Invitational (Tampa, Fla.)
W, 8-0 (5), 2/28/04 at Arizona Invitational (Tuscon, Ariz.)


SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Boise State enters the Gainesville Regional sporting a 34-14 overall record after going 12-12 in the Mountain West Conference to earn an at-large bid. Boise State has dropped four of the last five overall, including suffering a sweep at the hands of Fresno State last weekend. Kora Wade is the team's leading hitter, batting .418 with 48 runs scored, nine doubles, four triples and three homers. Bradie Fillmore has launched a team-best 15 home runs to manage 50 RBI. The Broncos have connected for 63 homers and are hitting .327 as a team. Gianna Mancha has pitched to a 12-7 record and a 3.64 ERA over 24 appearances and 18 starts with 67 strikeouts. Kelsey Broadus has also made 18 starts, posting a 4.17 ERA and a 13-6 record through 116.2 innings of work with 95 strikeouts. Boise State owns a 4.13 team ERA. Maggie Livreri is in her first season at the helm of the program.

SCOUTING THE GATORS
No. 5 overall seed Florida hosts the Gainesville Regional sporting a 44-15 overall record after going 12-12 in the SEC. The Gators won the SEC Tournament to earn the automatic bid. Amanda Lorenz is hitting .421 with 52 runs scored, 11 doubles, four triples and 11 homers to lead the way offensively. Kendyl Lindaman is the only other player with an average above .300, hitting .341 with a team-best 14 homers and 51 RBI. Florida is hitting .264 as a team. Florida's strength comes in the circle, as the Gator staff has accumulated a 1.86 team ERA and has limited opponents to a .179 average against. Kelly Barnhill is 30-11 with a 1.57 ERA over 44 appearances and 37 starts. She has pitched the bulk of the innings, registering 241 of a possible 402.2 while striking out 313 hitters. Elizabeth Hightower (4-1, 1.89 ERA) and Natalie Lugo (7-3, 2.13 ERA) are two other quality options for the Gators in the circle. Tim Walton is in his 14th season at the helm of the program.

SCOUTING THE TERRIERS
Boston University enters the Gainesville Regional sporting a 37-18 overall record after going 15-2 in the Patriot League to capture the championship and the automatic bid into the tournament. Alex Heinen paces the offense with a .333 average, six doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 38 RBI. The Terriers are hitting .274 as a team. BU has pitched the ball extremely well this season, registering a 1.78 team ERA and limiting opponents to a .216 average against. Ali DuBois leads the way, carrying a 1.32 ERA and a 23-9 record over 42 appearances (32 starts) and 206.1 innings. DuBois has tossed 19 complete games and has struck out 196 batters for the Terriers. Emily Gant is the likely second option in the circle for BU, having made 31 appearances and 17 starts while pitching to a 1.56 ERA with 149 strikeouts over 134.1 innings of work. Ashley Waters is in her fourth season at the helm of the program.

ALLISTER TABBED PAC-12 COACH OF THE YEAR
Second-year head coach Jessica Allister was named 2019 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, joining John Rittman (2001 and 2004) as only the second Stanford coach to garner the award. Under Allister's guidance in 2018, Stanford finished the season with a 24-31 overall record and a 3-21 mark in the Pac-12 – the most overall and conference wins for the Cardinal since 2014. Picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll this season, Allister has guided her squad to another huge step forward in 2019. Finishing fifth in the Pac-12 standings, the Cardinal will close the season with its first winning record since 2014. This year's team also earned a national ranking (#22 according to Softball America) on March 5 for the first time since April 1, 2014. Boasting a pair of wins over top-10 opponents, the Cardinal collected eight Pac-12 wins – more than the seven compiled over the previous four years combined. More notably, Stanford's 30-7 record to start the season was the best since opening 2010 with the same record, and its 32 wins are the most in a season since 2013 (39-21).

ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS
In addition to Jessica Allister's Coach of the Year selection, Stanford also placed four players on the All-Conference teams, and two on the All-Freshman squad. Juniors Teaghan Cowles and Kristina Inouye highlight the list of All-Conference selections for Stanford, with each earning a spot on the second team. The two second-team selections are the most for the Card since Kylie Sorenson and Leah White earned second-team honors in 2014. Stanford placed two more players on the third team, as senior Carolyn Lee and freshman Emily Young were lauded. Young also earned a spot on the All-Freshman team, joined by Emily Schultz. Those selections mark the first All-Freshman team picks since Lee earned a spot in 2016. The last time Stanford had at least two All-Freshman honorees was 2014, as Sorenson, Madi Schreyer and Bessie Noll were each selected.

LEE NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Senior Carolyn Lee was named to the Google Cloud Academic All-District Team, selected by CoSIDA, marking the second consecutive season that the native of San Ramon, Calif. has been lauded. Stanford has now earned at least one Academic All-District selection in each of the last three years, and has claimed eight honors since 2015. A mechanical engineering major, Lee is a 2019 Pac-12 third-team All-Conference selection, and is one of six Pac-12 players to be named Academic All-District. Having been named to the All-District First Team, Lee will now be eligible to be named an Academic All-American. CoSIDA will announce its Academic All-American team in June.

LAST TIME OUT
Stanford dropped all three games of a Pac-12 series at No. 2 Washington last weekend. The Cardinal suffered a pair of shutouts to end the series after dropping the opener, 5-2. Stanford hit just .203 as a team, with the only extra-base hit coming from Montana Dixon - a two-run homer in the seventh inning on Thursday night. Dixon finished the series 5-for-8 (.625), while Kristina Inouye batted .375. Despite allowing a .342 opponent batting average, Stanford's pitching staff amassed a 2.94 ERA over the weekend. Of the 16 runs allowed by Stanford, just seven were earned as the Card committed four errors.

WINS FOR THE AGES
Stanford has picked up a few historic wins since the start of Pac-12 play, collecting its first win over Cal on March 23 since earning a 14-13 win on March 14, 2014. The comeback victory on March 24 also secured the Card's first Pac-12 series win since sweeping the Bears from May 3-5, 2013. Stanford's 8-6 victory over Oregon on March 29 pushed the Card to its first 3-0 start to Pac-12 play in program history. That win was also the first for the Cardinal over Oregon since April 6, 2012 – snapping a string of 19 consecutive losses to the Ducks. Stanford finished the series with a 7-6 win over the Ducks to secure its first series win over Oregon since sweeping the Ducks from May 13-15, 2010. Stanford then posted a win over No. 2 UCLA on May 3 - the first victory over a top-two opponent since beating No. 2 UCLA, 12-9, on May 2, 2014.

QUITE THE LEADER
Junior Teaghan Cowles has emerged as one of the top leadoff options in the nation, hitting first in each of the 50 games this year. Cowles is hitting a team-best .377 overall, including .371 (39x105) with the bases empty. Furthermore, she is reaching at a .487 clip (37x76) and hitting .368 (25x68) when leading off an inning. In true leadoff at bats to start a game, Cowles is hitting .356 (16x45) with two home runs and a triple.

EARLY RUNS
Despite being outscored 11-0 in the series against Oregon in the first inning, Stanford is still outscoring opponents, 42-22, in the first inning this year. The Card has hit .271 (55x203) with 13 doubles, five triples and six homers in the opening stanza. Reaching base at a .358 clip, Stanford has drawn 22 walks. Including a 31-15 advantage in the second inning, Stanford is outscoring opponents, 73-37, in the first two frames.

MAKE IT A TRIPLE
Teaghan Cowles had six triples in 2018, tying for second all-time for a single season in Stanford program history. It was the most in a year since Cassandra Roulund also had six in 2013. Cowles did not triple over the first three weekends of this season, but recorded a pair in five games played at the Stanford Invitational. Now with five for a share of the team lead in 2019 with Emily Young, Cowles has racked up 15 triples in her first three years on The Farm - third-most all-time. It seems the triple has become contagious in 2019, as Stanford has managed a program-record 25 through 50 games this year to lead the Pac-12 and place second in the NCAA in triples per game.

TWO-OUT HITTING
Stanford is hitting .264 (109x413) with two out this year, as three players with at least 25 two-out at bats are batting .333 or better in the situation. Hannah Howell is batting .341 with two out, while Teaghan Cowles and Emily Schultz are hitting .333. Digging deeper into the clutch situation, the Card has delivered 82 two-out RBI, including 16 from Whitney Burks and 10 from Montana Dixon. Dixon, who is hitting .304 overall with two out, is hitting .474 (9x19) with two doubles, a homer and nine RBI when batting with two out and runners in scoring position, guiding Stanford to a .253 average as a team.

DON'T RUB IT
Stanford led the Pac-12 in hit by pitches in 2018, drawing 56. That trend has leaked a bit into 2019, as the Card has been hit by 35 pitches this season to rank third in the Pac-12. Junior Montana Dixon leads the way with 11 hit by pitches to place second in the conference.

THREE SELECTED FOR ACE PROGRAM
Freshmen Emily Klingaman and Emily Schultz will join junior Hannah Howell as three of 20 Stanford student-athletes selected to participate in the Rubenstein-Bing Student-Athlete Civic Engagement (ACE) Program. Klingaman and Schultz are scheduled to go to Peru from July 20 - August 10, while Howell will kick-off the program from June 15 - July 6 in South Africa. The program provides one-time funding for accepted Stanford and Duke student-athletes to participate in three-week, immersive summer service experiences with international community partners. ACE is a joint collaboration between the Stanford and Duke athletic departments, as well as Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford and DukeEngage at Duke. The program is made possible by the generous supports of David Rubenstein and Peter and Helen Bing. Student-athletes from both institutions will have the chance to volunteer together in one of four international group programs (South Africa, Vietnam, China and Peru) with diverse service themes including coaching, education, environmental sustainability and conservation, and more. Teaghan Cowles (South Africa, 2017), Kristina Inouye (India, 2017) and Carolyn Lee (Vietnam, 2016) are past participants in the program.

COWLES NAMED PAC-12 & NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After batting .818 to guide Stanford to a 5-0 record the previous week, junior Teaghan Cowles was tabbed Pac-12 and Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week on March 5. The National Player of the Week selection was the first for the Cardinal since Kelsey Stevens captured the honor from the NFCA on February 26, 2013. Cowles, who shared the honor with NC State's Brigette Nordberg, also became the ninth player in Stanford history to claim a National Player of the Week selection. Cowles went 9-for-11 over the five games, including a victory over then-No. 23 Northwestern on March 1. Serving as the leadoff hitter in the order, she reached base at an .889 clip and slugged 1.455 while collecting 11 runs scored, two triples, a homer and two RBI. Cowles' on-base percentage was strengthened further by six walks and one hit-by-pitch. Once aboard, Cowles was 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts. The native of Ridgefield, Wash. batted 3-for-3 with four runs scored, a double, a homer and two RBI against Montana on March 1, finishing a double short of the cycle. She closed the week with a perfect 2-for-2 day on March 3 against Cal Poly, scoring four times and drawing three walks – two intentional. All told, Cowles reached safely in 16 of 18 plate appearances, including 15 of her final 16.

PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK PART II
Cowles earned her second Pac-12 Player of the Week selection of the year on April 1. Cowles went 11-for-16 (.688) with three runs scored, three doubles, a triple and a homer to finish with a 1.188 slugging percentage to guide Stanford to a 4-1 week that included a series win over Oregon. The native of Ridgefield, Wash. drove in three runs and added four walks to record a .750 on-base percentage. Cowles hit safely in all five games on the week, including posting multiple hits in four of the five. Serving as the leadoff hitter in the order, Cowles saw five of her 11 hits go for extra bases. Over two games against Saint Mary's on March 27, Cowles batted 4-for-6 with a run scored, two doubles and a triple. She would then finish 7-for-10 with two runs scored, a double, a homer and three RBI in the series against Oregon.

YOUNG TABBED TOP FRESHMAN
Freshman Emily Young garnered Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors on March 5, marking the first selection for a Stanford player since Teaghan Cowles was tabbed following the first week of the 2017 season. Young batted .462 (6-for-13) with three runs scored, two doubles, a triple and three RBI en route to being named Freshman of the Week. Stanford's starting shortstop posted a pair of multi-hit games, including finishing 2-for-2 with a double, a triple and three RBI against Montana on March 1. The native of Mason, Ohio closed the week by batting 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a double in Stanford's 13-5 victory over Cal Poly on March 3. Over the course of five Stanford victories, Young compiled a .769 slugging percentage and a .462 on-base percentage.

SIXTH INNING IS BIG
Stanford's 5-0 record at the LSU Invitational was highlighted by big sixth innings. The Card outscored opponents 14-2 in the sixth inning that weekend, including posting seven runs in the sixth against #7 LSU and six more against Michigan. Overall this season, Stanford is outscoring opposition 41-31 in the sixth.

ALLISTER AT TIGER PARK
While she is 5-0 at LSU's Tiger Park as head coach of Stanford, Jessica Allister's success in that venue precedes her move to The Farm. Allister went 9-0 over two trips to Baton Rouge while leading Minnesota, finishing 5-0 in 2014 and 4-0 in 2017, to accumulate a 14-0 overall record at one of the toughest venues to play in the nation.

HAVE A DAY, INOUYE
Junior infielder Kristina Inouye guided the way for Stanford offensively on Opening Day, finishing the two games hitting .833 (5-for-6) with two runs scored, a double, a triple and nine RBI. She slugged 1.333 and reached at an .857 clip. Overall on the weekend, Inouye batted .467 and drove in a Pac-12 best 11 runs while slugging .867. The native of Huntington Beach, Calif. posted 25 RBI a year ago, but owns a team-best 31 through 50 games this year. She has twice totaled five-plus RBI this season, notching six on February 8 vs. Kansas, and five against Cal Poly on March 3 - four coming by way of a grand slam.

STOLEN BASE A STAPLE
Stanford's offense got a serious boost from its success on the basepaths last year, ranking fourth in the Pac-12 with 55 stolen bases in 67 attempts. In fact, the Cardinal's 55 steals were more than the entire production from the previous three seasons combined (8-for-10 in 2017, 4-for-5 in 2016 and 22-for-26 in 2015 for a total of 34 steals in 41 tries). The running game was anchored by Teaghan Cowles, who was fifth in the conference going 18-for-19. Alyssa Horeczko was 12-for-16, ranking ninth in the Pac-12, to give Stanford two players with at least 10 steals for the first time since 2014. This year, Stanford has swiped 40 bases in its first 48 attempts. Horeczko is 9-for-9, and Cowles is 9-for-10, to lead the way.

BURKS LAUNCHES A PAIR
Senior Whitney Burks connected for a pair of home runs in the season-opener on February 8 against Bradley. The team leader in home runs with five in 2018, Burks wasted no time getting her first in 2019, sending a leadoff shot out to straight-away centerfield in the second inning before capping an eight-run seventh with a three-run home run. The native of Fairfax Station, Va. finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored, the four RBI and a pair of walks. The multi-homer game was the first of Burks' career, and the first for the Cardinal since Kylie Sorenson hit a pair at Hawaii on March 4, 2016.

A LOOK  BACK
Stanford finished the 2018 season with a 24-31 overall record and a 3-21 mark in the Pac-12. It was the most overall and conference wins for the Cardinal since 2014. In fact, after the first weekend of conference play, Stanford had already exceeded its win total from 2017. The Cardinal reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2014. Among Stanford's highlights were a six-game winning streak in March, the Cardinal's longest since a 13-game unbeaten stretch to open 2014. The Cardinal also earned wins over UCLA and Arizona in the same season for the first time since 2013.

CARD PICKED EIGHTH IN PRESEASON POLL
Stanford has been chosen by the conference coaches to finish eighth in the stacked Pac-12 Conference this season, the league announced on February 5. UCLA, which received five first-place votes and totaled 61 points overall, edged Washington as the favorite to win the Pac-12 title. Washington received four first-place votes and 60 overall points. The Bruins and Huskies are ranked first and second, respectively, in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top-25 poll to open the season. Arizona is tabbed third with 50 points, followed by Arizona State in fourth with 43 points. California and Oregon State share fifth with 31 points, followed by Utah (19), Stanford (17), and reigning Pac-12 Champion Oregon (12) to round out the poll.

FOWKES, WHITE NAMED TO ISRAELI NATIONAL TEAM
Senior outfielder Molly Fowkes was added to the Israeli National Softball Team on January 23, joining a squad that already includes former Stanford standout Leah White. Fowkes, White and their teammates will compete at the European Championships in late June. The top six teams will then move on to compete at an Olympic Qualifying tournament in July. In order to play for Israel, athletes are required to have at least one Jewish parent or grandparent and must travel to Israel to receive dual citizenship.

ALL-REGION RECOGNITION
Teaghan Cowles and Hannah Howell earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region third team honors at third base and outfield, respectively, last season. It was the first career honor for both Cowles and Howell.

ACADEMIC ACCOLADES
Stanford led the Pac-12 with nine all-academic picks last year. Carolyn Lee, Victoria Molina and Lauren Wegner were selected to the first team, while Whitney Burks, Teaghan Cowles and Arden Pettit landed on the second team. Alyssa Horeczko, Hannah Howell and Kristina Inouye were honorable mention. Additionally, Lee was a CoSIDA Academic All-District pick.

2018 SINGLE SEASON MARKS
Stanford's 17 triples and .974 team fielding percentage from 2018 both matched the third-best output in a single season in program history, while the Cardinal's 55 stolen bases tied for 10th. Individually, Teaghan Cowles's 18 stolen bases tied for the ninth-best mark in a single season.

ALLISTER RETURNS TO THE FARM
Jessica Allister completed her first season at the helm after being named the Cardinal's fourth head coach on July 18, 2017. Allister arrived on The Farm after serving as the head coach at Minnesota for seven seasons, compiling a 290-107 (.730) overall record. Allister led the Gophers to unprecedented heights in 2017, registering a program-best 56-5 record and earning the first No. 1 national ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll in program history. A second-team All-American in 2004 and three-time all-conference selection, Allister helped guide the Cardinal to four NCAA Women's College World Series appearances in 2001 and 2004. A four-year starting catcher, Allister holds the school record for most games played (266) and graduated among the top-10 in numerous career categories.

MILESTONE FOR ALLISTER
Head coach Jessica Allister registered her 300th career win against Santa Clara on Feb. 25, 2018. Now in her ninth season as a head coach, Allister holds a 346-156 (.689) career record.