Softball Picked Fifth in 2002 MVC Preseason Poll

Feb. 7, 2002

Carbondale, Ill. - Senior catcher Karrie Fortman was the only Saluki named to the 2002 Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Softball Team as Southern Illinois was picked to finish fifth in this year's poll, announced today by the league office.

League coaches have voted Creighton as the preseason favorite for the second consecutive season. Creighton, who accumulated 92 votes, including four first-place tallies, edged defending Valley champion Illinois State (90) by just two points. The Redbirds also received four votes as the No. 1 team in the conference.

The Bluejays, who finished fourth in the league's regular-season standings a year ago, return 13 letterwinners which include seven starters.

Last year's regular-season and tournament-champion, Illinois State, on the other hand, won 35 games in 2001, and returns five starters to this season's squad.

Evansville collected two first-place nods and 78 points to garner the third slot in the coaches poll. The Purple Aces finished 39-17 and led the Valley at the plate with a team batting average of .287.

Second-year head coach Sarah Hayes and her Northern Iowa squad captured fourth-place as the Panthers return five starters after breaking individual team records in stolen bases (24) and most strikeouts in a season (146) last year.

Down one spot from a year ago, SIU follows in fifth with 64 points. The Salukis finished the 2001 campaign at 36-19 overall, while placing fourth at the Valley's postseason tournament.

Wichita State (44), Southwest Missouri State (39), Drake (28), Bradley (21) and Indiana State (21) then round out the voting.

2002 MVC Preseason Poll                     2002 Preseason All-Valley Softball Team    No. Team (first-place)  Pts.    P - Shelli Mellegaard, Creighton    1.  Creighton (4)   92  P - Katie Shimon, Drake    2.  Illinois State (4)  90  C - Karrie Fortman, Southern Illinois    3.  Evansville (2)  78  1B - Jamie Bagnall, Illinois State    4.  Northern Iowa   71  2B - Haven Shank, Evansville    5.  Southern Illinois   64  3B - Sami Herbster, Creighton    6.  Wichita State   44  3B - Lindsay Wood, Northern Iowa    7.  Southwest Missouri State    39  SS - Jamie Davison, Evansville    8.  Drake   28  OF - Sarah Lemond, Indiana State    9.  Bradley 24  OF - Bridget Broerman, Evansville    10. Indiana State   21  OF - Cutie Taylor, Illinois State                DP - April Arata, Wichita State

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Softball Picked Fifth in 2002 MVC Preseason Poll

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