NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 2, 2023 – Howard graduate student Kalita Dennis was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Preseason Player of the Year and Morgan State junior Anaya Hunte was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year, presented by TowneBank, the conference announced on Thursday.
In addition, reigning MEAC champion Howard was selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2024 MEAC softball regular-season title.
All awards were voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.
Dennis, an All-MEAC First Team selection in 2022, hit .373 with a .651 slugging percentage last season. She led the MEAC with 49 runs batted in (RBI) and was second in the league with 10 home runs. The four-time All-MEAC performer ranked in the top 10 in the conference in the following categories in 2022: RBIs (first), slugging (second), OPS (second; 1.072), home runs (second), hits (third; 62), at-bats (third; 166), batting average (fourth), runs scored (sixth; 40), triples (tied for seventh; three) and doubles (tied for ninth; 10).
Hunte, the 2022 MEAC Pitcher of the Year and an All-MEAC First Team selection, went 15-3 on the season with 18 starts, two saves and eight complete games. She pitched 122.1 innings while allowing 88 hits, 30 walks and striking out 142 batters. Hunte led the league in strikeouts and was third in earned run average (1.83) and wins (15). She recorded the program's first perfect game and pitched her first-ever no-hitter while setting the school's strikeout record of 16 in a win at Delaware State. She was also a five-time MEAC Pitcher of the Week selection in 2022. For her efforts, Hunte was named Morgan State's Female Athlete of the Year and was the softball team's Most Valuable Player.
Joining Dennis and Hunte on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Norfolk State pitcher Alexis Robinson, North Carolina Central catcher Hailey Batista, Norfolk State first baseman Gabby Vaughan, Howard second baseman Lealani Ricks, Norfolk State third baseman Kenna Higa (tie), North Carolina Central third baseman Maegan Garrison (tie), North Carolina Central shortstop Jayla Barr, Norfolk State outfielders Imani Moore and Alison Guckin and Howard utility player Alyssa Vasquez.
The 2023 MEAC Softball Championship will be held in Norfolk, Va. on the campus of Norfolk State University May 10-13.
The 2023 MEAC softball season begins the weekend of Feb. 11-13, when five of the conference's eight softball-playing institutions are in action.
The predicted order of finish and the complete All-MEAC preseason teams are listed below.
2023 MEAC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
(as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors)
|
School (First-place votes)
|
Points
|
|
1. Howard (10)
|
118
|
|
2. Morgan State (3)
|
108
|
|
3. Norfolk State (1)
|
100
|
|
4. North Carolina Central (1)
|
72
|
|
5. Maryland Eastern Shore (1)
|
67
|
|
6. Coppin State
|
57
|
|
7. Delaware State
|
32
|
|
8. South Carolina State
|
22
|
2023 MEAC Softball Preseason All-Conference Teams
(as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors)
Preseason Player of the Year: Kalita Dennis, Howard
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Anaya Hunte, Morgan State
FIRST TEAM
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Class
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Anaya Hunte
|
P
|
|
Jr.
|
Morgan State
|
Burlington, N.J.
|
|
Alexis Robinson
|
P
|
5-10
|
Sr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Virginia Beach, Va.
|
|
Hailey Batista
|
C
|
5-5
|
Jr.
|
North Carolina Central
|
Mebane, N.C.
|
|
Gabby Vaughan
|
1B
|
5-6
|
Sr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Chesapeake, Va.
|
|
Lealani Ricks
|
2B
|
5-11
|
So.
|
Howard
|
Madera, Calif.
|
|
Kenna Higa*
|
3B
|
5-7
|
So.
|
Norfolk State
|
Honolulu, Hawaii
|
|
Maegan Garrison*
|
3B
|
5-4
|
r-Jr.
|
North Carolina Central
|
Harrisburg, N.C.
|
|
Jaylah Barr
|
SS
|
5-6
|
Jr.
|
North Carolina Central
|
Batesburg-Leesville, S.C.
|
|
Kalita Dennis
|
OF
|
5-7
|
Sr.
|
Howard
|
Elks Grove, Calif.
|
|
Imani Moore
|
OF
|
5-9
|
Sr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Los Angeles, Calif.
|
|
Alison Guckin
|
OF
|
5-3
|
Sr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Virginia Beach, Va.
|
|
Alyssa Vasquez
|
UTL
|
5-5
|
So.
|
Howard
|
Downey, Calif.
|
*Indicates a tie.
SECOND TEAM
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Class
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Melissa Paz
|
P
|
5-2
|
Sr.
|
Morgan State
|
Sylmar, Calif.
|
|
Mia Gonzales
|
P
|
5-5
|
So.
|
Howard
|
Atwater, Calif.
|
|
Luz Aguilasocho
|
C
|
5-4
|
Sr.
|
Howard
|
Grand Terrace, Calif.
|
|
Deasia Lowther
|
1B
|
5-8
|
Jr.
|
South Carolina State
|
East Dublin, Ga.
|
|
Brissa Alvarado
|
2B
|
5-8
|
r-Sr.
|
Coppin State
|
Rialto, Calif.
|
|
Avianna Peterson
|
3B
|
5-1
|
Sr.
|
Coppin State
|
Niagara Falls, N.Y.
|
|
Mia Ewell
|
SS
|
|
Jr.
|
Morgan State
|
Portland, Ore.
|
|
Payton Quinonez
|
OF
|
5-6
|
So.
|
Howard
|
Tulare, Calif.
|
|
Asia Thomas
|
OF
|
|
Sr.
|
Morgan State
|
Tampa, Fla.
|
|
Yrral Davis
|
OF
|
5-5
|
r-Jr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Norfolk, Va.
|
|
Kenna Higa
|
UTL
|
5-7
|
So.
|
Norfolk State
|
Honolulu, Hawaii
|
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