The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference softball coaches have spoken and collectively they envision a fourth-place league finish in 2011 for the University of Minnesota Duluth according to their annual preseason poll which was released today.
Augustana College, the two-time defending NSIC regular season champions, was tabbed as the favorite in the 14-team league race, picking up eight first-place votes and 162 points. Minnesota State University-Mankato (152 points and four first-place votes) was next followed by Winona State University (145 pts.; one vote), UMD (133 pts.; one vote) and Concordia University-St. Paul (117 pts.) and Wayne State College (117 pts.).
The Bulldogs won 21 of their final 26 games last spring en route to posting a 33-17 overall record (for a .667 winning percentage -- their best mark in eight years) and went 18-4 in NSIC play, good for third place. In addition, they earned their second straight NCAA Division II Tournament berth and third in the past five seasons. UMD retains the services of 10 letterwinners, including five full-time starters in junior centerfielder Michaela Goris (a 2010 All-NSIC second team honoree), junior second baseman Tyra Kerr (2011 NFCA All-Central Region and All-NSIC first team), junior shortstop Kierra Jeffers (2011 All-NSIC second team), sophomore pitcher Megan Mullen, the reigning NSIC Freshman of the Year and All-NSIC second team pick and senior outfielder Carlie Schnoebelen.
UMD will launch its 2011 schedule on Feb. 10 against New Mexico Highlands University at the Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev.
2012 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Augustana (8) 162
2. Minnesota State-Mankato (4) 152
3. Winona State (1) 145
4. UMD (1) 133
5. Concordia-St. Paul 117
Wayne State 117
7. University of Mary 87
8. Southwest Minnesota State 81
9. St. Cloud State 75
10. Northern State 60
11. Upper Iowa 59
12. MSU-Moorhead 41
13. Bemidji State 24
14. Minnesota-Crookston 21
