SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball program was picked fifth in the preseason poll by the league’s 13 head coaches as announced Wednesday afternoon. Graduate student Abby Sweet earned preseason All-ACC honors. Sweet is one of 14 individuals to earn the preseason honor, as she represents one of seven schools on the preseason all-conference team.
Sweet earned a multitude of accolades after the 2021 season. She earned All-America honors from Justin’s World of Softball and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), first and second team selections, respectively. She was also a USA Softball Player of the Year Top 25 finalist. Other accolades include NFCA First Team Mid-Atlantic Region, First Team All-ACC, she was a three-time ACC Player of the Week and was the 2021 ACC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The outfielder concluded the 2021 campaign with a .445 batting average and 18 doubles to rank fifth and third-best in single season history, respectively. She added five home runs, 20 stolen bases, scored 43 runs and drove in 23. She was also one of the toughest players to strikeout in the country, going down on strikes just nine times in 146 at bats, while drawing 10 free passes. She set a school record with a .537 on-base percentage.
The Irish were picked behind Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Duke in this year’s poll. The four teams above the Irish all received at least one first place vote. Florida State, the 2021 Women’s College World Series runner-up, was picked to finish first with 137 total points and eight first place votes.
2022 ACC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
Florida State – 137 (8 First-Place Votes)
Clemson – 128 (2 First-Place Votes)
Virginia Tech – 126 (2 First-Place Votes)
Duke – 119 (1 First-Place Vote)
Notre Dame – 99
Louisville – 86
Georgia Tech – 72
North Carolina – 63
NC State – 57
Virginia – 36
Pitt – 35
Syracuse – 29
Boston College – 27
2022 Softball Preseason All-ACC Team
Valerie Cagle, Clemson, R-So., P
McKenzie Clark, Clemson, So., OF
Dejanae Davis, Duke, Sr., DP/UTL
Jameson Kavel, Duke, 5th Year, INF
Kathryn Sandercock, Florida State, Sr., P
Sydney Sherrill, Florida State, Gr., INF
Tricia Awald, Georgia Tech, Gr., INF
Emma Kauf, Georgia Tech, Jr., C
Camryn Greenwood, Louisville, Gr., OF
Abby Sweet, Notre Dame, Gr., OF
Kelsey Brown, Virginia Tech, Jr., OF
Kelsey Bennett, Virginia Tech, Jr., INF
Cameron Fagan, Virginia Tech, So., INF
Keely Rochard, Virginia Tech, Sr., P
Notre Dame kicks off the 2022 season on Feb. 11th in Charlotte as the Irish will take on the Bucknell Bison at 10 a.m. for the first game of the season. Immediately following that matchup, the Irish will play Boston University to wrap up action on the first day of the regular season.
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