PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Prairie View A&M back-to-back softball team had six members selected to the 2024 All-SWAC Softball preseason teams, which was announced Wednesday.  The Lady Panthers were also picked to finish first in the West Division.

"I am very proud of this honor for my girls," said PVAMU head softball coach Vernon Bland.  "They have worked very hard on and off the field.  We have added some new members and returned several starters and players from last season.  We will look to "three-peat."

The Lady Panthers had three selections on the first team - C Biviana Figueroa, OF Mia Nunez, and P Cailin Massey.  SS Destinee Smith, 3B Aerin Talley, and P Jerrica Rojas were selected to the All-SWAC second team.

In her third season as a Lady Panther Figueroa a native of Natalia, Texas was second on the team anchoring a .331 batting average, while posting 26 runs, 46 hists the most on the team, four home runs, and 22 RBI.  Nunez a sophomore from Navasota, Texas was third on the team in batting with a .303 average (.545 slg%), on 38 runs, 44 hits, (second on the team) seven home runs (tied for second on the team), and a team best of 28 RBI.  

The final first-team selection for the Lady Panthers was Massey, who is considered PVAMU's ace pitcher.  Massey is a junior native of Fort Smith, Ark.  She had a season best 3.68 ERA for an 11-6 overall record she pitched 122 innings, allowing 62 runs but struck out 75 batters in the process.

D. Smith, a native of Seabrook, Texas, was the fourth leading batter on the team averaging .277.  She brought in 17 runs, 28 hits, one home run, and nine RBI.  Talley was known as the big bat when needed.  Although she only had a .211 batting average she was an amazing third-baseman.  Talley posted seven runs, 12 hits, and 10 RBI in the SWAC Tournament Talley hit a grand slam that earned the Lady Panthers the win.  The 2023 SWAC tournament MVP was named to the All-SWAC second team for her valuable efforts.  Rojas led the hurlers pitching staff.  She stems from Sebastian, Texas.  The senior Lady Panther went 11-3 with a 3.50 ERA, throwing 47 strikeouts. 

PVAMU was selected to finish first in the West Division with 101 total pts (13 1st place votes), in front of Grambling (82), Texas Southern (68), Alcorn State (66), Southern (55), while Arkansas Pine Bluff was selected to finish sixth with 27 total points.

Prairie View will open its season on Feb. 9 at the Incarnate Word Invitation in San Antonio, Texas

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