NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 4, 2022 – Howard senior Camille Navarro was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Preseason Player of the Year and Norfolk State junior Cam Andersen was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year, presented by TowneBank, the conference announced on Friday.
In addition, Morgan State and Norfolk State tied as the preseason favorites to win the 2022 MEAC softball regular-season championship.
All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Navarro, the 2021 MEAC Player of the Year, led the conference in batting average (.421), slugging percentage (.664), hits (45) and doubles (10) last season. She was also second in on-base percentage (.452), tied for second in runs scored (22), second in total bases (71), third in stolen bases (14) and tied for fourth in home runs with four. Navarro also earned National Fast Pitch Association (NFCA) Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team honors and finished the season ranked 17th in the NCAA as the toughest to strike out, 39th in doubles and 52nd in batting average.
Andersen pitched in 16 games and made 14 starts in the circle for the Spartans in 2021. She went 7-5 with a 3.07 ERA, striking out 66 in 73.0 innings of work while allowing just 60 hits. She ranked second in the MEAC in opposing batting average (.217), fourth in ERA (3.07) and strikeouts (66), and fifth in wins (7). Andersen also tied for first in the nation in fewest hit batters (1) and stood No. 130 in fewest hits/7 innings (5.75).
Joining Navarro and Andersen on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Norfolk State pitcher Alexis Robinson, Norfolk State catcher Tuli Iosefa, Norfolk State first baseman Gabby Vaughan, Howard third baseman Natalie Davila, North Carolina Central shortstop Jayla Barr, Delaware State outfielder Jonah Cunnigan, Norfolk State outfielder Imani Moore, Morgan State outfielder Aliya Ewell and Coppin State utility player Brissa Alvarado.
The 2022 MEAC Softball Championship will be held in Norfolk, Va. on the campus of Norfolk State University May 11-14.
The 2022 MEAC softball season begins the weekend of Feb. 11-13, when six of the conference’s eight softball-playing institutions are in action.
2022 MEAC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
(as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors)
| School (First-place votes) |
Points |
| T-1. Morgan State (6) |
107 |
| T-1. Norfolk State (3) |
107 |
| 3. Howard (5) |
104 |
| 4. North Carolina Central (1) |
77 |
| 5. Delaware State |
64 |
| 6. Coppin State |
59 |
| 7. Maryland Eastern Shore (1) |
35 |
| 8. South Carolina State |
23 |
2022 MEAC Softball Preseason All-Conference Teams
(as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors)
Preseason Player of the Year: Camille Navarro, Howard
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Cam Andersen, Norfolk State
FIRST TEAM
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Class |
School |
Hometown |
| Cam Andersen |
P |
5-5 |
Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Norfolk, Va. |
| Alexis Robinson |
P |
5-10 |
Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Virginia Beach, Va. |
| Tuli Iosefa |
C |
5-5 |
r-Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Virginia Beach, Va. |
| Gabby Vaughan |
1B |
5-6 |
Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Chesapeake, Va. |
| Camille Navarro |
2B |
5-6 |
Sr. |
Howard |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Natalie Davila |
3B |
5-8 |
Jr. |
Howard |
Carson, Calif. |
| Desiree Carrizosa |
SS |
5-2 |
r-Jr. |
Coppin State |
Moreno Valley, Calif. |
| Jonah Cunnigan |
OF |
5-5 |
Sr. |
Delaware State |
Corona, Calif. |
| Imani Moore |
OF |
5-9 |
Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Aliya Ewell |
OF |
5-5 |
Sr. |
Morgan State |
Portland, Ore. |
| Brissa Alvarado |
UTL |
5-8 |
r-Jr. |
Coppin State |
Rialto, Calif. |
SECOND TEAM
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Class |
School |
Hometown |
| Vanessa Carrizosa |
P |
5-2 |
So. |
Coppin State |
Moreno Valley, Calif. |
| Deasia Lowther |
P |
5-8 |
So |
South Carolina State |
East Dublin, Ga. |
| Madison Mifsud |
C |
5-2 |
Sr. |
North Carolina Central |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Hailey Batista |
1B |
5-5 |
So. |
North Carolina Central |
Mebane, N.C. |
| Mia Ewell |
2B |
5-6 |
So. |
Morgan State |
Portland, Ore. |
| Maegan Garrison |
3B |
5-4 |
Jr. |
North Carolina Central |
Harrisburg, N.C. |
| Jayla Barr |
SS |
5-6 |
So. |
North Carolina Central |
Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. |
| Alison Guckin |
OF |
5-3 |
Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Virginia Beach, Va. |
| Yrral Davis |
OF |
5-5 |
r-So. |
Norfolk State |
Norfolk, Va. |
| Isabella Zalba |
OF |
5-4 |
Jr. |
Coppin State |
San Mateo, Calif. |
| Kalita Dennis |
UTL |
5-7 |
Sr. |
Howard |
Elks Grove, Calif. |
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 51st year of intercollegiate competition with the 2021-22 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.