University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff senior softball first baseman Samaria Jackson was named preseason first team all-SWAC, the conference announced Wednesday.
Jackson, a White Hall High School graduate, was the lone Lady Lion named to the preseason all-SWAC teams. She has a career .318 batting average in four seasons with UAPB. She started 43 games last season and recorded 34 hits, 12 RBIs and 14 runs. She hit five home runs.
Her best season as a Lady Lion was in 2022, when she hit .377 with 40 hits, 21 RBIs, 23 runs and 9 homers.
Alabama State’s Kindall DeRamus was named preseason player of the year, and Bethune-Cookman’s Halyne Gonzalez was named preseason pitcher of the year. Prairie View A&M led the SWAC with six selections including three first-teamers.
UAPB was picked to finish last in the SWAC West in the preseason poll, which is voted for by league coaches and sports information directors. Prairie View was picked to win the West, receiving 13 of 19 first-place votes. Grambling State was picked second, Texas Southern third, Alcorn State fourth and Southern fifth.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Alabama State also received 13 first-place votes and was named the SWAC East favorite. Following the Lady Hornets are Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Jackson State, Alabama A&M and Mississippi Valley State.
UAPB opens the 2024 softball season at home Feb. 10 with a doubleheader against Quinnipiac (Conn.) at the Torii Hunter Softball Complex. The SWAC opener will be March 8-9 when the Lady Lions host a three-game series against Prairie View.
The SWAC does not schedule regular season conference matchups between teams in opposite divisions, but UAPB will play six total non-conference games against East Division teams Jackson State and MVSU, including a home doubleheader against JSU on March 20.