SAN MATEO, Calif. — With the 2023 softball season right around the corner, the West Coast Conference has unveiled its annual Preseason All-WCC team. Saint Mary's is represented on the list with outfield Marissa Nishihara, who was a star for the Gaels last year, and this year has been named to the Preseason All-WCC team for the first time in her career.
 
Nishihara enjoyed a breakout season for Saint Mary's last year as she was a force atop the Gaels lineup. She was named First Team All-West Coast Conference for the first time in her career, the lone Gael to receive first team honors last season. She led Saint Mary's in a host of offense categories, including batting average (.309), runs (21), total bases (54), and walks (8). She saved her best performances for conference play, where she hit .400 against the league with six runs batted in. Five WCC games were multi-hit games for her, including a four-hit performance at San Diego on April 9.
 
A grand total of 15 players comprise this year's Preseason All-WCC team, with 12 position players and three pitchers earning recognition. Loyola Marymount and BYU pace the conference with four players each, which comes as no surprise considering both teams tied for first place in the Preseason Coaches Poll. San Diego comes in third in the poll, just one vote ahead of Santa Clara. Saint Mary's and Pacific round out the conference field.
 
2023 WCC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
T-1st BYU - 23 points (3)
T-1st LMU - 23 points (3)
3. San Diego - 15 points
4. Santa Clara - 14 points
5. Saint Mary's - 8 points
6. Pacific - 7 points
 
2023 WCC Softball Preseason Team (Position Players)
Huntyr Ava, BYU
Emma Bickford, Santa Clara
Morgan DeBord, LMU
Rian Dirmeyer, Pacific
Martha Epenesa, BYU
Carly Lucchetti, Pacific
Marissa Nishihara, Saint Mary's
Sydney Poole, LMU
Jasmine Sofowora, LMU
Alexia Torculas, San Diego
Ashley Trierweiler, Santa Clara
Violet Zavodnik, BYU
 
2023 WCC Softball Preseason Team (Pitchers)
Hannah Edwards, Santa Clara
Jenna Perez, LMU
Chloe Temples, BYU
 
Saint Mary's begins their 2023 season on Friday in Hawaii at the Hawaii Paradise Classic, featuring five games over three days. The Gaels will see Utah Tech twice and the hosting Rainbow Wahine three times, with play beginning at 5:00 pm PT on Friday with a doubleheader against Utah Tech and then Hawaii (9:30 pm). Tournaments rule the beginning of the season for the Gaels, with three tournaments in the final three weekends of February.