Erin Coffel and Kayla Kowalik Voted Preseason All-SEC by Coaches
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky Softball players Erin Coffel and Kayla Kowalik were voted to the 2023 Preseason All-Southeastern Conference Softball Team, the league office announced Thursday morning.
The Preseason All-SEC Softball Team is voted on by the league’s head coaches and consists of a minimum of 21 players. No ties are broken.
Kowalik has hit over .450 in each of her last two seasons in Lexington and has been an All-Southeastern Conference performer in three of her four years in her time as a Wildcat. She was in the running for National Player of the Year in 2021, hitting .500 for the season, a new single-season high for the Kentucky Softball program.
In her junior campaign, she became the fifth National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association All-American, joining Molly Johnson-Belcher, Kelsey Nunley, Katie Reed and Abbey Cheek. One of the most feared lead-off hitters in the country, Kowalik in 2022 hit .420 with 57 runs scored, 76 hits, 11 doubles, seven home runs and 28 RBI.
Coffel hit .423 last season with 20 home runs and 68 RBI, setting a new single-season record for most RBI in Kentucky Softball history. She had 32 extra-base hits to lead all Wildcats with 11 doubles, a triple and 20 home runs.
The Bremen, Indiana native scored 44 runs as part of the best offense at Kentucky in school history, which hit .333 as a team, scored 381 runs, bombed 85 home runs and knocked in 353 scoring tallies. She also successfully stole six bases and competed in all 56 games the Wildcats played in 2022. Coffel was named First Team All-Southeastern Conference for the first time in her career this season, as well as taking home an NFCA National Player of the Week honor on April 19 after her two-home run performance against No. 4 Arkansas.
Kentucky begins its 2023 season on Friday, Feb. 10 at the NFCA Lead-Off Classic in Clearwater, Florida with a doubleheader against St. John’s and Louisville. The tournament takes place at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex and tickets are on sale now.
2023 Preseason All-SEC Softball Team
| Name, School | Class | Hometown |
| Montana Fouts, Alabama | Gr. | Grayson, Ky. |
| Ally Shipman, Alabama | Gr. | Valencia, Calif. |
| Chenise Delce, Arkansas | R-Sr. | Oklahoma City, Okla. |
| Hannah Gammill, Arkansas | Jr. | Beebe, Ark. |
| Bri Ellis, Auburn | So. | Houston, Texas |
| Maddie Penta, Auburn | Jr. | Chesapeake City, Md. |
| Charla Echols, Florida | Gr. | Newnan, Ga. |
| Kendra Falby, Florida | So. | Odessa, Fla. |
| Skylar Wallace, Florida | R-Jr. | Woodstock, Ga. |
| Jayda Kearney, Georgia | Jr. | Columbus, N.J. |
| Sydney Kuma, Georgia | Sr. | Fresno, Calif. |
| Sara Mosley, Georgia | Sr. | Ellijay, Ga. |
| Erin Coffel, Kentucky | Jr. | Bremen, Ind. |
| Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky | Gr. | New Braunfels, Texas |
| Ciara Briggs, LSU | Jr. | Yorba Linda, Calif. |
| Ali Kilponen, LSU | Gr. | Highlands Ranch, Colo. |
| Taylor Pleasants, LSU | Jr. | Houston, Texas |
| Chloe Malau’ulu, Mississippi State | Gr. | Long Beach, Calif. |
| Jenna Laird, Missouri | Jr. | East Meadow, N.Y. |
| Kiki Miloy, Tennessee | Sr. | Woodinville, Wash. |
| Zaida Puni, Tennessee | Jr. | Carson, Calif. |
| Ashley Rogers, Tennessee | Gr. | Athens, Tenn. |
For the latest on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.
