ATLANTA, Ga., – Softball head coaches from around the ASUN Conference have selected the University of North Alabama to finish in fifth place in the league's annual preseason poll for the 2021 season. UNA received 50 total points.

Senior Megan Garst was named the ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year. The right-hander earned first team all-conference honors in 2019 and was also named the ASUN Pitcher of the Year following a season with a school-record 0.83 ERA. She also earned preseason all-conference honors a year ago in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season where she finished second in the league with a 1.32 ERA.

This year, Garst was the only UNA player to earn ASUN preseason honors. Liberty's Amber Bishop-Riley was named the league's Preseason Player of the Year while FGCU's Reedy Davenport was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Four different teams had at least one first-place vote in the 2021 preseason poll. Liberty received five first-place votes and 73 total points to take home first place as favorites to win the ASUN title. Kennesaw State also garnered a first-place vote and was second with 67 points while FGCU was third with 62 points, including a pair of first-place nods. Lipscomb also received a vote for first place and was fourth with 53 points.

Following UNA, North Florida was sixth with 41 points. Jacksonville (28 points), Stetson (17 points) and ASUN and Division I newcomer Bellarmine (14 points) rounded out the predicted order of finish.