Junior outfielder one of 12 players named to preseason All-SEC team
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss softball junior outfielder RT Cantillo has been a star for the Rebels in each of her first two seasons in Oxford. On Tuesday morning, Cantillo was one of the 12 student-athletes named to the Preseason All-SEC Team, the league office announced.
Cantillo, who earned Second Team All-SEC honors as a sophomore last season and Freshman All-SEC honors two years ago, led the Rebels in batting average last season. Cantillo started 42 games as a sophomore before missing the final 12 games due to injury. Despite the time off, Cantillo still led the Rebels in runs scored (33) in addition to batting average (.374). Cantillo was third on the team in RBI (26) and stole 13 bases in 13 attempts. Cantillo’s .560 on-base percentage would have led the SEC if she had enough at-bats to qualify.
“We’re excited for RT’s junior year and happy for her to get this honor,” Ole Miss head coach Windy Thees said. “She was having a tremendous sophomore season before it was cut short by injury. We want to build on that so she does bigger and better things this year and then earns All-SEC honors at the end of the season.”
The Preseason All-SEC Team consists of a minimum of 12 players. Each SEC head coach voted for four infielders, four outfielders, two pitchers, one catcher and one utility/DP player. No ties were broken.
Ole Miss opens the season with a doubleheader Feb. 7 in Honolulu against Saint Mary’s and Hawaii as a part of the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic. The Rebels will face Saint Mary’s at 5 p.m. CT and tournament-host Hawaii at 10 p.m. CT.
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