Fayette, Mo. – The 2017 Central Methodist University softball team has been preseason picked to finish second in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, and preseason ranked 20th in the 2017 NAIA Softball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll.
The Heart of America Athletic Conference announced their 2017 Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll on Monday afternoon, and the six-time regular season defending champion Central Methodist Eagles were picked to finish second in the conference. Grand View University edged the Eagles by a point as the preseason favorites, after claiming the conference tournament championship last season.
2017 Heart Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll | |||
No. | School | 2016 Record | Points |
1 | Grand View | 43-11 | 120 |
2 | Central Methodist | 43-18 | 119 |
3 | Evangel | 31-16 | 101 |
4 | Avila | 35-20 | 84 |
5 | William Penn | 19-32 | 80 |
6 | MidAmerica Nazarene | 25-18 | 79 |
7 | Culver-Stockton | 32-17 | 77 |
8 | Benedictine | 25-21 | 68 |
9 | Clarke | 29-23 | 62 |
10 | Baker | 26-29 | 55 |
11 | Mount Mercy | 19-25 | 40 |
12 | Missouri Valley | 14-30 | 23 |
13 | Graceland | 12-22 | 22 |
14 | Peru State | 11-39 | 15 |
That National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced their 2017 Softball Coaches' Top 25 Poll on Tuesday afternoon, and the Eagles open the season ranked 20th in the Nation. Central Methodist is coming off a season in which they went 43-18 overall, won their sixth straight Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season title, and earned a spot in the 2016 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round; where they traveled to face the defending National Champions from the University of Auburn – Montgomery. The Eagles made it to the championship game of the Opening Round, before falling to Auburn-Montgomery; ending their 2016 campaign.
2017 NAIA Softball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll – Jan. 17
RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2016 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
1 | 1 | Oklahoma City (19) | 67-3 | 529 |
2 | 2 | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 46-8-1 | 504 |
3 | 4 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 44-16 | 499 |
4 | 5 | St. Gregory's (Okla.) | 48-7 | 474 |
5 | 7 | Williams Baptist (Ark.) | 40-21 | 454 |
6 | 6 | Simpson (Calif.) | 43-7 | 450 |
7 | 8 | Marian (Ind.) | 48-12 | 428 |
8 | 12 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 47-14 | 396 |
9 | 10 | Morningside (Iowa) | 47-10 | 392 |
10 | 12 | William Carey (Miss.) | 38-17 | 365 |
11 | 11 | Webber International (Fla.) | 31-16 | 359 |
12 | 9 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 49-10 | 357 |
13 | 15 | Georgia Gwinnett | 44-19 | 309 |
14 | 14 | Martin Methodist (Tenn.) | 47-17 | 301 |
15 | 16 | Davenport (Mich.) | 39-12 | 283 |
16 | 18 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 41-12 | 271 |
17 | RV | Grand View (Iowa) | 43-11 | 248 |
18 | 17 | Houston-Victoria (Texas) | 38-15 | 226 |
19 | 22 | Oregon Tech | 30-22 | 209 |
20 | 19 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 43-18 | 202 |
21 | 20 | Dickinson State (N.D.) | 46-12 | 197 |
22 | 21 | LSU Alexandria | 47-12 | 135 |
23 | 23 | Park (Mo.) | 32-17-1 | 115 |
24 | 25 | Rio Grande (Ohio) | 41-9 | 103 |
25 | NR | San Diego Christian (Calif.) | 34-17 | 102 |
Dropped from rankings: No. 3 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.); No. 24 Arizona Christian.
Others Receiving Votes: Indiana Wesleyan 88; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 81; Southern Oregon 63; Science & Arts (Okla.) 47; Arizona Christian 46; Oklahoma Wesleyan 29; Brenau (Ga.) 18; Valley City State (N.D.) 15; USC Beaufort (S.C.) 13; Doane (Neb.) 9; Huntington (Ind.) 9; St. Francis (Ill.) 4; Evangel (Mo.) 3; Georgetown (Ky.) 3; Madonna (Mich.) 3.
^ Ranking from 2016 Postseason Top 25 Poll (June 7, 2016)
CMU open the 2017 season on February 10th and 11th at the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, Texas. Central opens the season against Bellevue University on the 10th at 9am, before facing the 18th ranked University of Houston – Victoria at 11am, and then finishing the day at Oklahoma Wesleyan University; whom are currently receiving votes in the Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll, at 3pm.
For more information about Central Methodist University athletics, visit http://www.cmueagles.com. Follow CMU athletics on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cmathletics and on Twitter twitter.com/cmueagles.
