SLIAC Softball Preseason Poll

Defending SLIAC Champion Fontbonne University has been picked the 2014 Softball Preseason favorite. Fontbonne has won three consecutive regular season conference titles and four straight tournament championships.

Fontbonne University is the 2014 preseason favorite after receiving 81 total points in the poll including nine first-place votes. The Griffins, coached by Bill Rosner, were 34-12 last season and went 16-0 in conference play marking the first time since 2002 a team went undefeated in the SLIAC. The Griffins return nine starters and 15 players from last year's team including the Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. Marissa Simon, a senior shortstop, was named the SLIAC Player of the Year and All-Region after hitting .378 with eight home runs and 39 runs batted in. Simon and the high powered Fontbonne offense, which led the conference with a .319 team batting average, are joined by junior twin sisters Cassandra and Danielle Glixman. Cassandra hit .410 with two home runs and 40 runs batted in while Danielle hit .436 with six home runs and a conference high 56 runs batted in. Both players earned All-Conference and All-Region honors. 2013 SLIAC Co-Newcomer of the Year, sophomore pitcher Madi Leonard, is back to anchor the pitching staff after picking up 13 wins and recording 126 strikeouts in 111 innings pitched. The Griffins welcome in freshmen pitchers Shelby Faulkner and Michelle Boyer who will help ease the loss of 2013 SLIAC Pitcher of the Year Rachel McCarthy.

Spalding University was picked second, receiving 69 total points. The Golden Eagles, coached by Art Williams in his 10th year, return seven starters from last year's team that finished 20-19 overall and in third place in the SLIAC. Spalding will be led by 2013 Co-Newcomer of the Year Alyssa McAfee. McAfee, a sophomore outfielder/pitcher, hit .354 with four home runs and 24 runs batted in last season while also logging 57 innings pitched and recording five wins on the mound. Hannah Stucker, a senior second baseman, also returns after hitting .361 with 23 runs batted in and a team high 12 stolen bases while earning First Team All-Conference honors. Katy Flanagan, a senior outfielder, is also back after hitting .331 with four home runs and 24 runs batted in. The experience group, with 11 players returning, bring in freshman infielder Sara Owens who could see time.

Westminser College was chosen third in the poll with 55 total points. Westminster, coached by Shelli Manson, finished last year in second place in the SLIAC with a 15-11 overall record and a 10-4 record in conference play. The Blue Jays bring back four starters and will be led by senior catcher Rai'an Harris. Harris hit .333 with a team high 18 runs batted in last season while earning Honorable Mention All-Conference honors. Lori Jones, a senior outfielder, also returns after hitting .344 with two home runs and 17 runs batted in. Also back is senior outfielder Becca Rose. The pitching staff will be led by senior Brittany Lee. Lee recorded 10 wins last season while recording 96 strikeouts in 113.1 innings pitched. Westminster brings in a trio of freshmen in Briana Peterson, Allison Biggs and Alyson Hahn that should see time on the field.

Webster University was picked fourth in the preseason poll, receiving 54 total points including one first-place vote. The Gorloks, coached by Chris Eaton, finished last year with a 19-16 overall record and tied for fifth in the standings. Sophomore Rachel Franck, an outfielder/pitcher, will ed the Gorloks. Franck hit .420 with 16 stolen bases and made seven appearances on the mound recording 18 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched with six wins. Also back is senior outfielder Molly Muntz, who hit .306 with 21 runs batted in last season and junior infielder Taylor Gibbs, who hit .272 with eight home runs and 25 runs batted in. Senior pitcher Samantha Powers also returns after compiling 53 innings pitched last season while recording five wins.

Eureka College was picked fifth after receiving 50 total points. Eureka, coached by Debi Neff, returns five starters from last year's team that went 21-16 overall. The Red Devils will be led by sophomore infielder Savanna Tapper. Tapper hit .373 with two home runs and 12 runs batted in while earning Second Team All-Conference honors. Kim Lamar, a junior, also returns after hitting .339 as does sophomore outfielder Kylee Conlin and senior infielder Emily Campbell. The Red Devils pitching staff will be led by senior Jodi Rebholz who recorded eight wins and threw a team high 121.1 innings last year, recording 87 strikeouts. Incoming junior transfer Paige Ashley should compete for time with the Red Devils.

Iowa Wesleyan College was picked sixth in the preseason poll, their first season as members of the SLIAC. The Tigers are coached by Mike Hampton, and finished last year with a 20-15 record. They return seven starters including USCAA Second Team All-American Ashley Stube. Stube, a senior outfielder, hit .306 with 24 runs scored and seven runs batted in last season. Also back is junior first baseman Mikayla Dwyer, who hit .299 with three home runs and 18 runs batted in, as well as junior infielder Andrea Bury. On the mound senior Jillian Leutscher returns after recording six wins in 11 appearances last season with 41 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched. They bring in three freshmen that could see time in Kelsie Bunnell, Caitlin O'Neill and Jessica Siggers.

Greenville College was chosen seventh in the poll, receiving 36 total points. New head coach Jamie Thanepohn takes over a program that went 13-19 last season and returns six starters. The Panthers will be led by sophomore outfielder Shannon Elbe and sophomore first baseman Andrea Martin. Elbe hit .390 with six home runs and 23 runs batted in while Martin hit .444 with four home runs and 23 runs batted in. Also returning is senior shortstop Mattie Fairchild who hit .377 with 19 runs batted in. Greenville also returns all three pitchers from last season in Ashley Woodrome, Hannah Burger and Jessica Laubecher. The Panthers welcome in several athletic freshmen including Tiffany Samsoe, Shelby Cash and Anaya Tobiason.

Blackburn College was picked eight in the poll with 26 points. Blackburn, with first-year head coach Suzannah Behnken, return six starters from last year's team that went 17-16 overall. The Beavers will be led by sophomore infielder/pitcher Lauren Rhodes. Rhodes hit .526 last year with eight home runs and 38 runs batted in while also recording seven wins and a 3.71 earned-run average in 73.2 innings pitched. Also back are Mary Chamberlain, a junior infielder who hit .326, and Aimee Kerley, a sophomore shortstop who hit .303. Top newcomers include a pair of transfers in junior pitcher Erica Wilson and junior outfielder Melissa Heigert.

Principia College was chosen ninth in the preseason poll with 18 total points. Principia will be led by Ken Leavoy and return five starters from last year's team that went 6-22 overall. Sophomore outfielder Thanda Kyaw returns after hitting .410 with 11 stolen bases last season and earning Second Team All-Conference honors. Also back bringing in experience are seniors Christine Nacewicz and Jessy MacMullin. Senior pitcher Casey Lee returns after making 13 appearances last season and throwing 62.1 innings pitched. The Panthers welcome a pair of freshmen in Samantha Bronkar and Ashley Shoemake that could see time on the field.

MacMurray College was picked tenth in the preseason poll with 12 total points. The Highlanders, led by first-year coach Lexy Determan, are coming off a season in which they went 5-28 overall. They will be led by sophomore catcher Brittany Latham who hit .271 with two home runs and 10 runs batted in. Also returning are junior outfielder Roni Grgin and sophomore Grace Bjornbak. The Highlanders bring in freshman pitcher Michala Swanger who could see some innings on the mound.