Longhorns picked No. 2 in preseason Big 12 softball poll, record 5 make all-conference team

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Behind three-time defending national champion Oklahoma, the Texas Longhorns softball team was tabbed to finish No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference preseason coaches poll, the conference released Wednesday.

In addition, five Longhorns were named to the Big 12's preseason all-conference team, the most on any preseason all-conference team in program history.

Juniors Mia Scott and Mac Morgan, along with sophomores Citlaly Gutierrez, Ashton Maloney and Viviana Martinez were all tabbed on the 19-player team. Players were selected regardless of position and were voted on by head coaches.

In the preseason poll, the Longhorns received one first-place vote while the Sooners received the other nine. Oklahoma State was slotted at No. 3 with Baylor and Central Florida rounding out the top five.

The Longhorns hit the road for their first 10 games starting the season Feb. 9 in Southern California. They'll take on San Diego and UCLA at Easton Stadium in Westwood to open the season, then head across Los Angeles to Bill Barber Park in Irvine to play them again the following day. Texas ends its California trip Feb. 11 against Loyola Marymount.

Texas plays five games at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational in Florida on Feb. 16-18 before the first game at McCombs Field on Feb. 21 against Houston Christian. Opponents in Florida include Tennessee, the team that eliminated the Longhorns in the super regional round last season, Stanford, North Carolina, Kentucky and Northwestern.