SAN DIEGO – The Mountain West Conference announced its 2025 Softball Preseason Poll and Honors on Thursday morning. Three Aztecs were named to the Preseason Team highlighted by Pitcher of the Year Cece Cellura as the team earned the maximum of 64 points in the Preseason Poll to take the top spot in the projected order of finish. Cellura and Dee Dee Hernandez were two of the three pitchers named to the squad while catcher Cali Decker was one of 12 position players to make the team.
San Diego State’s three players are tied for the most in the conference with Boise State, who is represented by infielder Sydney Groves and outfielders Mykenzie Hanna and Preseason Player of the Year Sophia Knight.
Last season was the first time the conference had a preseason team. San Diego State led the way in 2024 as well with four on the team: Decker, Bella Espinoza, Preseason Player of the Year Mac Barbara and Preseason Pitcher of the Year Allie Light.
In her freshman season last year, Cellura picked up Mountain West Pitcher of the Week once and was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week twice. Cellura led the conference in walks allowed (8) and home runs allowed (3) while placing in the top six in saves (4, 3rd) and ERA (2.60, 6th). She set the program record for walks per seven innings record (min. 80 innings pitched) with a whopping 0.52. Her four saves were tied for the tenth most in a season and the second most in a conference season as well as by a freshman in SDSU history.
A fellow hurler, Hernandez paced the conference in runs allowed (31) and earned runs allowed (26) while placing second in ERA (2.53) on her way to an All-Mountain West First Team appearance. She was named the conference’s Pitcher of the Week twice in 2024. Hernandez kept runners off the basepaths, finishing second in the Mountain West with 72 hits allowed. The team captain has excelled during her time as an Aztec. Her 12 career saves are tied with Alex Formby and Celena Velasquez for the most in team history. In the Aztecs career record book, the senior also enters the season in the top four in winning percentage (min. 30 decisions, 3rd, .711), walks per seven innings (min. 200 innings pitched, 2nd, 1.02) and strikeout/walk ratio (min. 200 innings pitched, 4th, 4.83).
Decker is a two-time All-Mountain West Second Team selection. Among returning players from last year’s roster, she paced the Aztecs in OPS last season (.810). After two seasons as an Aztec, Decker finds herself among the top ten hitters in program history in batting average (min. 250 at bats, 10th, .338) and on-base percentage (min. 250 at bats, 8th, .425). The catcher has found success behind the dish as well. She is ninth in school history in career fielding percentage (since 1981, min. 300 chances) with a .9887 rate and finished ninth in the Mountain West in 2024 with 195 putouts.
In the preseason poll, the Aztecs received the maximum of eight first place votes and 64 points for the second consecutive season. In the last 24 preseason polls, San Diego State has been projected to finish in the top three on 23 occasions and the Aztecs have been tabbed as a top two team, receiving at least one first place vote 20 times including multiple first place votes 17 times. This season marks the 12th time in the last 24 seasons that San Diego State has been projected as conference champions and the third time in four seasons under Stacey Nuveman Deniz.
Behind the Aztecs’ 64 points, Boise State and Fresno State tied for second with 50 votes while UNLV received the other first place vote and is projected for a fourth-place finish with 47 points.
Preseason Team – Players (12):
- Sydney Groves, Jr., INF, Boise State
- Mykenzie Hanna, Sr., OF, Boise State
- Sophia Knight, So., OF Boise State
- Jailey Wilson, So., INF, Colorado State
- Aaliyah Jenkins, Sr., C, Nevada
- Haley Painter, Jr., 3B, Nevada
- Cali Decker, Sr., C, San Diego State
- Reina Zermeno, Jr., INF/UT, San José State
- Jesse Farrell, So., C, UNLV
- Ariana Martinez, Sr., INF, UNLV
- Ariel Fifita, Sr., INF, Utah State
- Grace Matej, Jr., C/INF, Utah State
Preseason Team - Pitchers (3):
- Serayah Neiss, Jr., Fresno State
- Cece Cellura, So., San Diego State
- Dee Dee Hernandez, Sr., San Diego State
Player of the Year: Sophia Knight, So., OF, Boise State
Pitcher of the Year: Cece Cellura, So., San Diego State
Predicted Order of Finish (1st Place Votes) - Points:
1. San Diego State (8) - 64
T-2. Fresno State - 50
T-2. Boise State - 50
4. UNLV (1) - 47
5. Nevada - 31
6. Colorado State - 27
7. Utah State - 22
8. New Mexico - 17
9. San José State - 16