IRVINE, Calif. — Dominican University of California softball player Catlyn Cavender has been named to the 2016 PacWest Preseason All-Conference Softball Team at second base.

Cavender was a 2014 All-PacWest Second Team selection at second base and NFCA Division II All-America Scholar-Athlete. In the final doubleheader of the season, Cavender went 5-for-6 on the day, including 4-for-4 in game two, to become the new program's new single-season batting average leader with a .375 clip. The Sacramento, California native also set marks for highest slugging percentage and highest on base percentage, at .711 and .448 respectively. Cavender's 10 home runs were also the most by a Dominican player in a single season in the Division II era and put her in a three-way tie for second most in the PacWest. She led the Penguins in nearly every offensive category and started all 46 games.

The Penguins, who finished eighth out of 11 teams in 2015, are pegged to finish ninth out of 12 teams in 2016. Dixie State, last year's national runner-up and PacWest Champions four of the past five seasons, was the unanimous choice to repeat.

Weather permitting, Dominican will begin its 2016 season at Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday, Jan. 30. First pitch of the non-conference doubleheader is slated for 12 p.m.