INDIANAPOLIS – The Truman State Softball team was picked 11
th in the preseason Great Lakes Valley Conference coach's poll. The Bulldogs will open the season on February 9
th at the Alvy Early Memorial Tournament in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Ron Ferrill begins his second season in the dugout for the Bulldogs as the team finished 17-37 overall and 7-17 in conference play last year. Those totals were up nine wins from the 2022 season overall and four more wins in the GLVC. It was the most overall victories prior to the 2019 season.
Breianna Klein and
Cameryn Patterson provide the veteran leadership for a squad that will have several new faces this year. Klein was a dual-threat last year with a .324 batting average with three home runs and 21 runs batted in while also pitching over 138 innings with 81 strikeouts and a 5.06 earned run average.
Patterson started 50 games last year and batted .292 and had the team lead in doubles with 11 with 26 runs batted in.
The Bulldogs will play their first 21 games away from home throughout the month of February and early March before christening their new turf field on March 10 welcoming the University of Sioux Falls. That will begin a 10-game, 5-date home stretch including the conference opening doubleheader against Upper Iowa on St. Patrick's Day.
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INDIANAPOLIS – University of Indianapolis was unanimously selected in the preseason coaches' poll as the choice to win the 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) softball title, the league office announced on Tuesday.
The preseason poll is selected by the league's head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 Indianapolis
- Received all 13 possible first-place votes and 169 total points.
- Ranked 11th in National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Preseason Poll.
- Won league's regular season title and advanced to the 2023 GLVC Championship title game.
- Earned at-large bid to NCAA Tournament as top seed, advancing to Midwest Super Regional.
- Coached by reigning GLVC Coach of the Year, Melissa Frost, who enters her 20th season after a 53-10 overall and 20-3 GLVC record in 2023.
- Return GLVC Pitcher of the Year, Kenzee Smith, along with fellow First Team All-GLVC honorees Jocelyn Calvin, Emily O'Connor, Lexy Rees, and Megan Nichols, as well as Honorable Mention selections Jayden Casebolt and Shelby Cook.
- Smith, O'Connor, and Nichols were honored as First Team All-Midwest Region by both the NFCA and D2CCA last year.
- Smith was also named Second and Third Team All-America by the NFCA and D2CCA, respectively.
No. 2 Lewis
- Received 146 total points.
- Won league-beat 11th GLVC Championship last season as No. 6 seed
- Entered the NCAA Tournament as the fourth seed in the Midwest Regional, going 2-2.
- Coached by Becky Pearl, who enters his 10th year after a 38-20 overall and 14-10 GLVC record in 2023.
- Return First Team All-GLVC selection Delaney Garden.
- Garden was named NFCA First Team All-Midwest Region this past season.
No. 3 McKendree
- Received one first-place vote and 137 total points.
- Earned No. 3 seed in GLVC Championship last season, going 0-2.
- Coached by Heather Tarter, who enters her third season after a 29-16 overall and 15-9 GLVC record in 2023.
- Return GLVC Player and Freshman of the Year, Lauren Harris, as well as fellow First Team selections Ellie Quaethem and Olivia Stansbury.
- Harris was named Second Team All-Midwest Region, along with Third Team All-America by the NFCA.
No. 4 Maryville
- Received 127 total points.
- Earned No. 4 seed in GLVC Championship last season, falling in semifinals with a record of 3-2.
- Coached by Courtney Conley, who enters her sixth season after a 30-21 overall and 15-9 GLVC record in 2023.
- Return First Team All-GLVC selection Kylie Swinney, as well as Third Team honorees Chayse Ramey and Emily Corona.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 14th was University of Missouri-St. Louis (124 points), University of Illinois Springfield (123), Drury University (98), Rockhurst University (82), Quincy University (68), Missouri S&T (65), Truman State University (52), Upper Iowa University (38), Southwest Baptist University (29), and William Jewell College (16).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-Place Votes) |
| 1. |
Indianapolis |
169 (13) |
| 2. |
Lewis |
146 |
| 3. |
McKendree |
137 (1) |
| 4. |
Maryville |
127 |
| 5. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
124 |
| 6. |
Illinois Springfield |
123 |
| 7. |
Drury |
98 |
| 8. |
Rockhurst |
82 |
| 9. |
Quincy |
68 |
| 10. |
Missouri S&T |
65 |
| 11. |
Truman State |
52 |
| 12. |
Upper Iowa |
38 |
| 13. |
Southwest Baptist |
29 |
| 14. |
William Jewell |
16 |
