Softball Preseason Coaches Poll: Wildcats Predicted to Three-peat as NWC Champions
|
Team
|
Pts.
|
’19 NWC finish
|
|
Linfield
|
49 (7)
|
1st
|
|
George Fox
|
40 (1)
|
3rd
|
|
Whitworth
|
34
|
2nd
|
|
Pacific (Ore.)
|
33
|
4th
|
|
Pacific Lutheran
|
29
|
5th
|
|
Lewis & Clark
|
17
|
6th
|
|
Willamette
|
13
|
7th
|
|
Puget Sound
|
9
|
8th
|
(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 as the frontrunner entering the 2020 season, as voted on by conference coaches. The Wildcats received 49 points and seven first-place votes.
Coming off of an outstanding 2019 season, the Wildcats cruised through the NWC regular season with a 25-3 final record (39-8-1 overall), earning hosting rights of the NWC Championship. Defeating third-seeded George Fox once and second-seeded Whitworth twice, the Wildcats easily captured the NWC Championship title. Paired with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Whittier in the NCAA West Regional first and second rounds, Linfield continued its postseason success by sweeping their California opponents to advance to the NCAA Super Regional. Paired with eventual World Series Champions, the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs, the Wildcats battled to a three-game series, ultimately ending in the Bulldogs’ favor.
The Wildcats earned an outstanding 11 All-NWC recognitions, with seven on the first team. Shelby Saylors earned Co-Pitcher of the Year honors, with Head Coach Jackson Vaughan snagging his 11thCoach of the Year award. The team ended the season ranked ninth nationally in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 poll. The Wildcats also earned six NFCA All-West Region recognitions, as well as a NFCA All-America third team honor for middle infielder Makenna Clizer.
Ranking second in the poll is George Fox with 40 points and one first-place vote. The Bruins finished the 2019 season tied for third place in conference standings with a 17-11 NWC record (26-16 overall), qualifying for the NWC Championship. The Bruins fell first to Linfield, coming back to defeat Pacific (Ore.) in game two, before falling to Whitworth to conclude their season. The Bruins earned six All-NWC honors, including first team selection Allison Meyer and second team selection Claire Fountain. Meyer and Fountain return to lead the Bruins in the upcoming season as they seek another NWC Championship appearance.
The Whitworth Pirates rank third in the poll with 34 points. The Pirates continue to be among the top-ranked teams in the NWC, finishing the 2019 season ranked second in final standings with a 23-5 record (31-11 overall), including a win over first-place Linfield. Despite defeating Linfield in the regular season, the Pirates fell twice to the Wildcats in the NWC Championship, ending their season in McMinnville. The Pirates earned 11 All-NWC honors, including Co-Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year honors for freshman Drea Schwaier-Wolf, as well as an NFCA All-West Region second team honor. Schwaier-Wolf returns for her second season alongside returners Maddy Thomas and Sara Gayer as the Pirates continue to build towards a comeback season.
Ranking fourth in the poll is Pacific (Ore.), sitting just one point behind Whitworth with 33. The Boxers concluded the 2019 season tied with George Fox for third place in NWC final standings with a 17-11 conference record (23-18 overall), qualifying for the NWC Championship. In McMinnville, the Boxers fell in two to conclude their 2019 campaign. Despite an early end to their season, the Boxers named six to the All-NWC team, including first team selections Montana Vaught and Nicole Martinez. Vaught and Martinez, alongside teammate Hailey Miller, also earned NFCA All-West Region honors. The trio returns to lead the Boxers in the 2020 season as they seek their first NWC title since 1998.
Coming off of a fifth-place regular season finish with a 15-13 NWC record (24-17 overall) in 2019, the Lutes are predicted to remain among the middle of conference standings, earning 29 points to rank fifth in the poll. Freshman duo Chaella Galapon and Mari Foster were named to the All-NWC honorable mention in 2019 ranking among the program’s top upperclassmen, including Player of the Year Kathryn Hatlen. Galapon and Foster return for their sophomore season as the Lutes seek a return to the NWC Championship.
Lewis & Clark ranks sixth in the poll with 17 points. The Pios ranked sixth in final standings in 2019, with seven wins and 21 losses in conference play (12-26 overall). Naming three to the All-NWC squad, the Pios return honorable mention selections Olivia Brackin, who led the Pios’ offense with 10 homeruns and 36 runs batted in in 2019, and Frankie Warden, who recorded just four strikeouts in 111 plate appearances.
Willamette ranks seventh in the poll with 13 points. The Bearcats concluded the 2019 season ranked seventh, earning six conference wins and dropping 22 (7-32 overall). Three-time All-NWC selection Jocelyn Glasgo returns for her senior season as the Bearcats seek to climb in conference standings, under Head Coach Paige Hall in her first season.
Puget Sound rounds out the poll, ranking eighth with nine points. The Loggers ended the 2019 season 2-26 in conference play (4-35 overall), ranking eighth in final conference standings. Offensive leader Maddie Colombo returns to lead the Loggers in the 2020 season, under Kara Dressel in her first season as Head Coach.
With many NWC teams kicking off their 2020 season in the upcoming weeks, teams will face non-conference opponents until NWC play officially begins on Saturday, February 29th.
To view the complete 2020 Northwest Conference softball schedule, click here.