Softball picked third in preseason MVC coaches' poll
02/06/2008 | 12:00:00 | General
Feb. 6, 2008
By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com
ST. LOUIS - The Southern Illinois softball team, set to open the 2008 season this Friday, Feb. 8, were picked third in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason coaches' poll, released Wednesday morning.
This is the third-straight season the Salukis have been picked to finish in the top three of the MVC, after being chosen second in 2006, and 2007.
The Salukis return 13 letterwinners from last season's squad that posted a 41-16 record, and made it to the NCAA Tournament for a fifth-consecutive year.
Creighton, last year's regular-season and tournament champion, was picked first with 97 overall points, and nine out of 10 first-place votes.
Wichita State was voted to finish second in the league with 85 points, and one first-place vote, just ahead of the Salukis, who tallied 81 points.
Illinois State, who along with Creighton and SIU represented the MVC in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, came in at fourth with 72 points, and Missouri State earned 52 points to round out the rest of the top five.
Following Missouri State were, Bradley in sixth (46 points), Evansville in seventh (44 points), Indiana State in eighth (35 points) and Drake (25 points) and Northern Iowa (13 points) at ninth and 10th place.
Southern Illinois also placed sophomore second baseman, Alicia Garza, on the Preseason All-Valley Team. Garza led the Salukis in hitting (.358), and hits (63) last season, and was named First-Team All-MVC.
The Salukis will begin the 2008 season Friday, Feb. 8 at the Jacksonville University Tournament in Jacksonville, Fla. SIU will take on UNC-Greensboro in its first game at 10 a.m. ET at the JU Softball Complex.
