IRVING, Texas - After posting a 51-9 overall record en route to a Conference USA Championship title, Florida Atlantic has been picked to repeat as the favorite this season, as selected by a vote of the league's head coaches. The Owls also boast the 2017 Preseason Pitcher of the Year in Kylee Hanson. Last season, the senior led the nation with a sparkling 0.76 ERA and was named the C-USA Pitcher of the Week seven times. Marshall's Morgan Zerkle was voted the 2017 Preseason Player of the Year after earning the rare distinction of being selected to the 2017 USA Women's National Team. In 2016, Zerkle hit .482 with 54 hits and 28 stolen bases, despite missing 22 games due to injury.

Joining Hanson on the Preseason All-Conference Team are teammates Amanda Wilson, Alex Miller, Emily Lochten and Madisyn Palmer. Wilson earned First Team All-C-USA accolades last season after claiming wins in 16 of her 20 decisions. Miller started 35 games behind the plate last year, guiding the Florida Atlantic pitching staff to the nation's third-best ERA. Lochten started all 60 games at shortstop for the Owls last season and led the team in home runs (14), slugging percentage (.665) and runs scored (56). Palmer, the 2016 C-USA Freshman of the Year, led Florida Atlantic with a .432 average and 26 stolen bases last year.

Including Zerkle, Marshall boasts the second-most 2017 Preseason All-Conference Team members with four student-athletes selected. Senior Pitcher Jordan Dixon earns recognition after becoming the first pitcher in team history to win 20 or more games three times in a career. Junior Taylor McCord started 55 games behind the dish last season and threw out 21 potential base stealers, setting a new Herd single-season record. Senior Shaelynn Braxton rounds out the preseason selections for the Herd, and last year, became the first player in team history with 20 stolen bases and 50 RBI in a single season.

FIU's Stephanie Texeira, North Texas' Kelli Schkade and UTEP's Courtney Clayton complete the infielders selected to the preseason team. Texeira appeared in 41 games at first base in 2016 and led the Panthers with a .413 average, 13 home runs and 46 RBI. Schkade, a 2016 First Team All-C-USA Selection, started all 55 games last season for the Mean Green and led C-USA with 127 total bases. Clayton was named the 2016 C-USA Player of the Year after setting single-season program records in doubles (21) and hits (79). The junior also became only the third Miner in program history to hit .400 in a single season. Teammate Kaitlyn Ryder joins Clayton on the preseason squad at the DP/Utility spot. Ryder recorded 17 multiple-hit games last season, while also leading the Miners in walks (23).

Middle Tennessee's Precious Birdsong and UAB's Joanna Fallen complete the outfielders selected to the preseason team. Birdsong swiped 18 bags in league games last season, best among conference leaders. Fallen was named to the 2016 C-USA All-Tournament Team after batting .538 with seven hits and two doubles over UAB's four contests.

The 2017 Conference USA Championship is slated to take place May 10-13 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, hosted by Southern Miss. The championship's eight (8) team field will include the top three teams (by winning percentage) in the East Division standings and top three teams (by winning percentage) in the West Division standings, as well as two Wild Card teams from either division (with the next-best winning percentages outside of the six automatic-qualifying teams).

2017 Preseason All-Conference Team
Pitcher: Kylee Hanson, Florida Atlantic, Sr.
Pitcher: Amanda Wilson, Florida Atlantic, Sr.
Pitcher: Jordan Dixon, Marshall, Sr.
Catcher: Taylor McCord, Marshall, Jr.
Catcher: Alex Miller, Florida Atlantic, Jr.
Infielder: Stephanie Texeira, FIU, Sr.
Infielder: Morgan Zerkle, Marshall, Sr.
Infielder: Kelli Schkade, North Texas, Sr.
Infielder: Emily Lochten, Florida Atlantic, Jr.
Infielder: Courtney Clayton, UTEP, Jr.
Outfielder: Madisyn Palmer, Florida Atlantic, So.
Outfielder: Shaelynn Braxton, Marshall, Sr.
Outfielder: Precious Birdsong, Middle Tennessee, Jr.
Outfielder: Joanna Fallen, UAB, Sr.
DP/Utility: Kaitlyn Ryder, UTEP, Jr.

2017 Preseason Player of the Year
Morgan Zerkle, Marshall, Sr.

2017 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Kylee Hanson, Florida Atlantic, Sr.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Florida Atlantic (10)
2. UAB
3. Marshall (1)
4. Louisiana Tech
5. Southern Miss
6. FIU
7. UTEP
8. UTSA
9. Charlotte
10. WKU
11. Middle Tennessee
12. North Texas

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More information on your favorite team can also be found on the school web sites:
| Charlotte | FIU | Florida Atlantic | Louisiana Tech | Marshall | Middle Tennessee |
| North Texas | Southern Miss | UAB | UTEP | UTSA | WKU |