AUGUSTA, GA – The Peach Belt Conference coaches preseason poll has been announced and the Georgia Southwestern women's softball team is ranked 12th. While North Georgia has been selected as the Peach Belt team to beat in 2017, as a poll of the league's head coaches was released on Thursday. 

The Lady Hurricanes finished their season with a 24-32 record, 7-17 in the conference, earning them an 11th place finish in the Peach Belt Conference Standings.  

Offensively, GSW was 11th overall with 399 hits, 225 runs, recorded 29 home runs, 76 doubles  and 202 RBIs on the season.

GSW was third in the PBC in doubles, seventh in home runs and hits and eighth in total bases.

Lasy year was the season for breaking records for the Lady 'Canes. Outfielder Mikela Barlow lead the Lady 'Canes with 59 hits, 39 runs and 18 doubles (earning her 1st in the PBC). Barlow broke two GSW NCAA era season records; she now holds the record for most doubles and hits in a season.

Hayley Tierce broke the GSW NCAA era season home run record with 16 and holds the season RBI record with 51. She led the PBC in home runs, was second in RBIs, slugging percentage and total bases, fourth for RBIs and seventh in batting average.

Tierce went on to be named the 2016 Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, named to the 2016 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Softball All-Southeast Region First Team presented by Daktronics and was selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Southeast All-Region First Team.

Joshlyn Martin was named to the Peach Belt Conference First Team All-Conference team.

GSW begins their 2017 season on Saturday, Feb. 4, at home against Tusculum College. The season continues through April with the PBC Tournament on April 21-22. Georgia College will host the PBC Softball Championship for the third year in a row.

The preseason coaches poll is listed below.  Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.