UMC Picked to Finish 16th in NSIC Preseason Softball Poll

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team was picked to finish 16^th in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll released Thurs., Feb. 2 by the league office. The Golden Eagles will look to continue to climb up in the standings this year as they enter their third season under Head Coach Don Stopa.

Minnesota Crookston made strides last season as they won seven more games than the previous season. UMC would finish with an 11-39 (5-25 NSIC) mark on the 2016 slate. The Golden Eagles will be led in 2017 by their Player to Watch Gabriel Antolak (Jr., C, Zimmerman, Minn.) and Pitcher to Watch Bailey Braatz (Sr., RHP, Buffalo, Minn.). Antolak hit .331 as a sophomore with three home runs, 21 RBI’s and 24 runs scored. She has the leading batting average of all returnees. Braatz led the Golden Eagles in wins (five) and innings pitched (118.1) on her junior season. She also led the team with 49 strikeouts.

In addition to Antolak and Braatz, UMC returns five starters overall in the field and two starters in the circle. Victoria Bayliss (Jr., OF, West Bloomfield, Mich.) hit .307 as a sophomore with 29 runs scored. Mikayla Jones notched three wins on the year in the circle with 84.0 innings pitched and 35 strikeouts.

Minnesota State University, Mankato, was the unanimous pick to win the league after going 45-17 last season on their way to an appearance in the NCAA Central Region Tournament. University of Minnesota Duluth was slotted second with 194 points, while Winona State University was picked third with 191 points.

Maggie Kadrlik of Augustana University, a 2016 D2CCA All-Central Region First Team pick, was named as NSIC Preseason Player of the Year. Coley Ries of Minnesota State was picked as NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Ries was a D2CCA Second Team All-American last season.

The Golden Eagles will open up the 2017 season Feb. 11 at the Presentation College Indoor with games against Valley City State University and Northern State University. 

2017 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll
Rk	Team	Points
1	Minnesota State (15)	225
2	Minnesota Duluth (1)	194
3	Winona State	191
4	Augustana	187
5	Sioux Falls	163
6	Wayne State	143
7	Upper Iowa	138
8	Bemidji State	131
9	Northern State	119
10	Southwest Minnesota State	104
11	St. Cloud State	94
12	Concordia-St. Paul	67
13	University of Mary	63
14	Minot State	47
15	MSU Moorhead	37
16	Minnesota Crookston	17
First place votes in ( )