| School
| (1st)
| Pts.
| 2008 Overall
| 2008 NWC
|
| Linfield College
| 6
| 68
| 38-6
| 25-3
|
| Pacific University
| 2
| 57
| 31-9
| 20-8
|
| Willamette University
|
| 54
| 25-11
| 19-9
|
| Pacific Lutheran University
|
| 38
| 21-19
| 18-10
|
| Whitworth University
|
| 33
| 16-21
| 13-12
|
| University of Puget Sound
|
| 27
| 11-23
| 9-16
|
| Lewis & Clark College
|
| 13
| 3-34
| 2-26
|
| George Fox University
|
| 11
| 3-29-1
| 3-25
|
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on
9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).
Linfield Favored to Win Sixth Straight NWC Title
Spokane, Wash. - Linfield College is a strong favorite to win
the 2009 Northwest Conference softball title, a championship that
would be the Wildcats' sixth in a row. The 2009 season will also be
a year in change in the NWC as half of the schools will feature new
head coaches.
Linfield picked up six first place votes and 68 points in the
poll, but Wildcat head coach, and five-time NWC Coach of the Year,
Jackson Vaughan has some work to do to replace five starters who
all earned first team All-NWC honors last season. The list includes
outfielder Stephanie Rice and infielders Amanda Attleberger,
Meredith Brunette, Erica Hancock and Jenny Marshall. However,
Linfield should be strong in the circle once again as two-time NWC
Pitcher of the Year Brittany Miller will be joined by second team
All-NWC hurler Kendra Strahm.
Pacific University is second in the poll with 57 points and the
remaining two first place votes. The Boxers must overcome the
graduation of two-time All-NWC catcher Caitlin Mastenbroek, but
welcome back two-time All-NWC starting pitcher Miranda McNealy
along with first team All-NWC outfielder Kristen Croxford.
Willamette University is third in the poll with 54 points. Nikki
Franchi, the 2008 NWC Player of the Year, returns for her senior
season. She led the NWC in hitting last season (.518) and was 19-4
with a 1.85 ERA in the circle. The Bearcats also welcome back
All-NWC outfielder Katie Peterson.
Pacific Lutheran University is fourth in the poll with 38
points, followed by Whitworth University with 33 points. The Lutes
return first team All-NWC catcher Vanessa Bryant and utility player
Rachel Wheeler-Hoyt. Outfielder Lacey Kerr is one of only four
returning starters for the Pirates.
The University of Puget Sound is sixth in the poll
with 27 points. Infielder Meghan Watson is the leading returnee for
the Loggers.
Lewis & Clark College was seventh (13 points)
and George Fox University was eighth (11 points).
PLU, Whitworth, UPS and George Fox all feature new
head coaches this season.
Pacific Lutheran will kick off the 2009 season with
an early-February trip to California. Most of the rest of the NWC
begins play with games the week of February 16-21.