Funke Earns Preseason All-ACC Honors, Cards Picked to Finish Fifth

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The University of Louisville's Celene Funke has been named to the 2020 Preseason All-ACC Team as voted on by the league's 13 head coaches. Additionally, the Cardinals were picked to finish fifth in the overall regular season standings.

Funke, a senior from Carmel, Ind., registered a team-best 48 runs and stood second with a .324 batting average and 29 stolen bases last season. The speedy centerfielder led the nation and holds Louisville's single-season record with 13 triples.

In the team preseason poll, Florida State was unanimously selected to win the regular season title. Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and North Carolina respectively filled out the top four ahead of the Cardinals, who are coming off of a 35-23 campaign and a 12-12 mark in conference play.

The Preseason All-ACC Softball Team is voted on by the league's head coaches and consists of a minimum of 14 players. Each ballot consisted of five infielders, four outfielders, three pitchers, a catcher and either a designated player or utility player.

About Louisville
• In 2019, the Cardinals posted a 35-23 overall record and a 12-12 mark in ACC play for a third place finish in the league's Atlantic Division and fifth in the overall conference standings.
• Louisville achieved several milestones in head coach Holly Aprile's first season at the helm, highlighted by the 14^th NCAA appearance and sixth regional final as the Cardinals completed their 20^th year as a program.
• The 2020 squad features 12 letterwinners from last year's team with the addition of five freshmen and two junior transfers from Auburn.
• UofL is receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball and USA Today/NFCA preseason coaches polls.
• Louisville will open the 2020 campaign Feb. 79 when the Cardinals travel to Clearwater, Fla. for the NFCA Leadoff Classic where they will take on No. 21/25 Ole Miss, Baylor (RV), Texas State, Mississippi State (RV) and Missouri (RV).
• The upcoming slate features 13 teams ranked or receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball and USA Today/NFCA preseason coaches polls. Thirteen of the Cardinals' 2020 opponents qualified for the 2019 NCAA tournament including Women's College World Series participants Alabama and Oklahoma State.
• UofL will play 17 regular season games at Ulmer Stadium which will also serve as the host site for the 2020 ACC Softball Championship May 6-9.

2020 ACC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
Florida State (141 points, 10 first-place votes)
Virginia Tech (123 points, 2 first-place votes)
Notre Dame (121 points, 1 first-place vote)
North Carolina (117 points)
Louisville (103 points)
Georgia Tech (78 points)
NC State (77 points)
Duke (74 points)
Syracuse (51 points)
Clemson (43 points)
Virginia (37 points)
Pitt (33 points)
Boston College (16 points)

2020 Preseason All-ACC Softball Team
INFIELD
Sydney Sherrill, Florida State, Jr., IF
Breanna Roper, Georgia Tech, Jr., IF
Katie Marino, Notre Dame, Sr., IF
Jayme Bailey, Virginia Tech, So., IF
Kelsey Bennett, Virginia Tech, So., IF

OUTFIELD
Dani Morgan, Florida State, Sr., OF
Celene Funke, Louisville, Sr., OF
Kristina Burkhardt, North Carolina, R-Jr., OF
Darby Trull, Virginia Tech, Jr., OF

PITCHERS
Caylan Arnold, Florida State, Sr., P
Brittany Pickett, North Carolina, Sr., P
Payton Tidd, Notre Dame, So., P
Keely Rochard, Virginia Tech, Jr., P

CATCHER
Anna Shelnutt, Florida State, Sr., C

DESIGNATED PLAYER/UTILITY
Elizabeth Mason, Florida State, R-Jr., UT

University of Louisville Athletics

Funke Earns Preseason All-ACC Honors, Cards Picked to Finish Fifth

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