Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball picked to finish third in MVC Preseason Poll
01/28/2009 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Jan. 28, 2009
By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Saluki softball team was picked to finish third in the 2009 Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll released by the league office on Wednesday.
In addition to its third place selection, senior third baseman Katie Wagner and junior outfielder Katie Wilson were named to the MVC preseason All-Conference Team.
Wagner led the Salukis last season with nine home runs, and was second on the team with a .308 batting average. Wilson ranked second in the MVC and first on the team with 12 stolen bases, and posted the team's third-best average at .290.
This is the fourth year in a row SIU has been picked to finish in the top three of the MVC after winning back-to-back conference championships in 2004 and 2005.
Creighton, the winner of the MVC regular season in each of the last to seasons, received 97 points and nine out of 10 first place votes to finish first for a third-straight year.
Illinois State, which finished the 2008 regular season in second, earned 88 points to claim second place.
Following Southern Illinois' 78 points, last year's MVC tournament champion Drake totaled 60 points and recorded one first place vote in the fourth spot.
Wichita State was picked right behind Drake with 58 points for fifth and Missouri State sixth with 45 points.
Evansville (42), Indiana State (33), Bradley (25) and UNI (24) rounded out the final four spots in the preseason poll.
The Salukis will start the 2009 season next Friday, Feb. 6 against Long Beach State at the three-day Cathedral City Kickoff in Palm Springs, Calif.
2009 MVC Softball Preseason Poll
Team (First Place) Points
1. Creighton (9) 97
2. Illinois State 88
3. Southern Illinois 78
4. Drake (1) 60
5. Wichita State 58
6. Missouri State 45
7. Evansville 42
8. Indiana State 33
9. Bradley 25
10. UNI 24
2009 MVC Softball Preseason All-Conference Team
1B - Renae Sinkler, Creighton
2B - Kara Nelson, Illinois State
3B - Katie Wagner, Southern Illinois
SS - Meredith Simpson, Indiana State
C - Krista Price, Evansville
DP-P - Amber Smith, Illinois State
DP-UT - Abby Olson, Illinois State
OF - Jessie Buker, Illinois State
OF - Jessica Wakasugi, Creighton
OF - Katie Wilson, Southern Illinois
OF - Brooke Kempker, Missouri State
P - Tara Oltman, Creighton
P - Ashley Birdsong, Bradley
