Kennesaw State junior pitcher and designated player Jessica Cross was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Player of the Year, the conference announced on Thursday. She was joined by fellow Owl, sophomore infielder Ashlee Burkett, who was named to the Preseason All-Atlantic Sun Conference team.Cross will hope to pick up right where she left off last season, both at the plate and in the pitcher’s circle. The Tunnel Hill, Ga. native was named to the All-Atlantic Sun Conference First Team for the second time in her career last season, starting all 53 games and ranking in the top 10 in the conference in home runs (12, third); RBIs (36, fourth); and slugging percentage (.528, 10th).

She was dominant as a pitcher, as well, going 15-11 in 31 appearances, tossing 17 complete games and four shutouts.
Burkett, the 2010 A-Sun Freshman of the Year and All A-Sun First Team honoree, hit .343 last season during her inaugural campaign, hitting eight home runs while driving in 36 RBIs.

The Owls as a team were picked to finish third in the Atlantic Sun Conference, behind defending champion Lipscomb and USC Upstate.

The Black and Gold return 11 players from last year’s squad, who finished 27-26, with an 11-9 mark in A-Sun play, and won a game in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament in their first year of NCAA Division I postseason eligibility.

The Owls open up the 2011 season on Feb. 12, when they take on Central Arkansas and Southern Mississippi at the two-day, four-game stint in Southern Mississippi. They make their Bailey Park debut on Feb. 23, when they host Georgia Tech at 4 p.m.