Utah Favored To Win Mountain West Conference Softball Title

The Utes received five first place votes.

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Jan. 25, 2001

Colorado Springs, Colo. - Utah has been selected to repeat as Mountain West Conference softball champions in a vote by the league coaches.

Utah received five first place votes for a total of 25 points to capture the top spot in the poll. New Mexico was picked second after collecting 20 points and the only other first place vote. San Diego State was third with 15 points followed by Colorado State (11), BYU (10) and UNLV (9).

Utah went 42-23 overall last year and won the MWC regular-season title with a 15-5 league mark. The Utes also captured the MWC tournament crown with a 4-3 victory over New Mexico. Utah advanced to the NCAA Region I final in Seattle, Wash., but fell to Washington, 9-0. Utah returns eight letterwinners and five starters in 2001.

New Mexico, which completed the 2000 season with a 38-18 overall record, finished second the league at 14-6. The Lobos have 11 letterwinners returning, including nine starters. San Diego State returns 12 letterwinners, seven of which are starters, from a team that went 35-27 last season and finished third in conference play with a 13-7 record.

Colorado State (20-32/8-12) welcomes back 10 letterwinners and six starters from a team that placed fourth in the league. BYU completed its first Division I season 16-17 overall and 7-13 (5th) in the MWC. The Cougars have 14 letterwinners back, including eight starters. UNLV (19-41/3-17) returns 10 letterwinners and 12 starters from its 2000 squad that placed sixth in the conference.