|
Rk.
|
School
|
Pts.
|
'18 NWC Record
|
|
1
|
Linfield
|
49 (7)
|
24-4
|
|
2
|
George Fox
|
41
|
24-4
|
|
3
|
Pacific
|
33
|
15-13
|
|
4
|
Whitworth
|
31 (1)
|
17-11
|
|
5
|
Pacific Lutheran
|
27
|
10-18
|
|
6
|
Lewis & Clark
|
18
|
7-21
|
|
7
|
Willamette
|
17
|
6-22
|
|
8
|
Puget Sound
|
8
|
9-19
|
(Points awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams; numbers in parentheses indicate first place votes)
HILLSBORO, Ore. – The Linfield Wildcats have been chosen by conference coaches as the top team in the Northwest Conference for the 2019 season with 49 points and 7 first-place votes.
The Wildcats enjoyed a decorated 2018 season, including a Northwest Conference Co-Champion title alongside George Fox, an NWC Championship title, an NCAA Regional title, and a 10th-place NFCA final ranking. After taking down George Fox in the NWC Championship finals, the Wildcats earned hosting rights of the NCAA Regional, where they defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps twice and the Bruins once, outscoring their opponents 21-3 overall. Despite advancing to the NCAA Super Regional and shutting out UT-Tyler, 3-0, in the opening game, the Wildcats fell twice in a row to the Patriots, bringing their 2018 season to a close.
The Wildcats return in 2019 in seek of another successful postseason run. After graduating six, the team returns 2018 All-Northwest Conference first team selections Shelby Saylors (Rainier, Ore.) and Makenna Clizer (Portland, Ore.), second team recipient Darian Stedman (Springfield, Ore.), and honorable mention selections Paige Smotherman (Hillsboro, Ore.) and Chelsea Horita (Honolulu, Hawaii).
Ranking second in the poll is George Fox with 41 points. After finishing the 2018 season ranked first in conference play with a 24-4 NWC record (35-11 overall) and a share of the NWC title, the Bruins earned hosting rights in their fourth consecutive NWC Championship appearance. After falling short of an NCAA automatic bid in the finals, the team earned an at-large bid into the NCAA McMinnville regional, where they fell twice, first to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 3-6, then to Linfield, 9-1. The Bruins ended the season ranked 24thnationally. Under 2018 NWC Coach of the Year Jessica Hollen, the team returns All-NWC first team selections Alyssa Gonzalez (Livermore, Calif.), Aaliyah Kautz (Lacey, Wash.) and Roni Braun (Centralia, Wash.), who led the Bruins offensively in the previous season.
The Pacific (Ore.) Boxers rank third in the preseason poll with 33 points. After qualifying for the NWC Championship in the 2018 season with a 15-13 conference record (22-17 overall), the Boxers opened the tournament by taking down first-seeded George Fox., 10-2, but then suffered two losses to close out their season. The Boxers return to pursue another postseason run in 2019 with 2018 All-NWC second team selections Montana Vaught (Wailuku, Hawaii) and Hailey Miller (Elk Grove, Calif.), who led the Boxer offense last season as freshmen.
Whitworth earned 31 points and one first-place vote to rank fourth in the poll. In the 2018 season, the Pirates recorded a 17-11 conference record (24-18 overall) to earn the third-place seed at the NWC Championship. After graduating just three, the Pirates return 2018 All-NWC first team selection Michelle Silva (Aloha, Ore.) and third team selection Sara Gayer (San Jose, Calif.), who both led the team in runs batted in with 30 in the previous season, as the Pirates seek another NWC Championship run.
Pacific Lutheran ranks fifth in the poll with 27 points. After finishing the 2018 season ranked fifth in conference standings with a 10-18 NWC record (15-23 overall), the Lutes return 2018 NWC Freshman of the Year Kennedy Robillard (Puyallup, Wash.), who led the conference with a .488 batting average, as well as All-NWC first team selection Kathryn Hatlen (Woodinville, Ore.), who recorded a team high 23 runs batted in for the Lutes.
Lewis & Clark earned 18 points to rank sixth. The Pioneers welcome back 2018 All-NWC second team selection Frankie Warden (Cherry Hills, Colo.) for the 2019 season.
Willamette ranks seventh in the poll, just one point behind the Pioneers with 17. First Team 2018 All-NWC selection Jocelyn Glasgo (Rochester, Wash.) returns to lead the Bearcats this season.
Puget Sound rounds out the poll with 8 points. The Loggers ended the 2018 season ranked sixth in conference standings, going 9-19 (11-26-1 overall). The team welcomes six freshmen for the 2019 season.
Already several games into the season, NWC teams will face non-conference opponents until conference play begins on Saturday, March 2nd.