Auburn softball's three returning All-Americans are entering the 2016 season for the second year in a row as preseason All-SEC players, the Southeastern Conference office announced Thursday.
Tiffany Howard, Emily Carosone, and Kasey Cooper were each named to the 2016 Preseason All-SEC team, following a rewarding 2015, including All-American, All-Region and All-SEC selections.
Auburn and the University of Florida lead all SEC schools with three selections each, this year being the second consecutive that Auburn has placed three on the preseason team.
Second baseman Carosone was an NFCA First Team All-America selection, joining Cooper as the first two-time All-Americans in program history. Thursday's selection marks the third straight for Carosone, who joins Alabama's Haylie McCleney and Florida's Kelsey Stewart as the other three-time preseason selections.
The senior lead the team last year with a career-high .438 batting average. She notched 85 hits and scored 88 runs with 18 doubles and 18 home runs. Her 88 runs set a new single-season record for Auburn, and was the second-most in a season by an SEC player.
Cooper held the third-best batting average on last year's team at .391 with 75 hits, 18 home runs and 64 RBI. The junior was named an NFCA First Team All-American last year along with a Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-America title, adding to her collection of 10 postseason honors consisting of all-conference, all-region or all-american.
Auburn's everyday left fielder Howard started all 67 games last year and batted .415, the second highest average on the team. Her .525 on-base percentage was the team's highest, reaching base nearly every game in the regular season except for the final.
Auburn's 2016 season opener is set for Feb. 11 against Appalachian State with a 6 p.m. first pitch at Jane B. Moore Field.
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