Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball selected third in preseason MVC Poll
01/25/2012 | 12:00:00 | Softball
Jan. 25, 2012
SIUSalukis.com
ST. LOUIS - The SIU Softball team has been picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll announced today, as voted on by the league's coaches.
The Salukis earned 81 points in the poll, including one first place vote, behind preseason favorite and 2011 regular season champion Illinois State and second place Northern Iowa.
The Salukis place three on the 2012 preseason All-Conference team. Taylor Orsburn (first base), Jayna Spivey (second base), and Mallory Duran-Sellers (outfield) all earned honors.
In 2011, the Salukis finished the season with a 36-17 record overall and finished third in the regular season MVC standings with a 16-7 record before losing to Drake in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
The Dawgs kick off their 2012 campaign on Feb. 11 at the KSU Classic in Woodstock, Ga. against Miami (Ohio).
2012 MVC Preseason Poll
| Place | School (First Place Votes) | Points |
| 1 | Illinois State (7) | 96 |
| 2. | Northern Iowa (2) | 87 |
| 3. | Southern Illinois (1) | 81 |
| 4. | Missouri State | 66 |
| 5. | Creighton | 64 |
| 6. | Drake | 54 |
| 7. | Bradley | 31 |
| 8. | Wichita State | 30 |
| 9. | Evansville | 21 |
| 10. | Indiana State | 20 |
2012 MVC Preseason All-Conference Team
| Player, Team | Pos. | Yr. | Hometown (Previous School) |
| Taylor Orsburn, Southern Illinois | 1B | So. | Alto Pass, Ill. (Cobden) |
| Jayna Spivey, Southern Illinois | 2B | So. | Rosiclare, Ill. (Hardin County) |
| Jackie Roth, Bradley | 3B | Sr. | Hickory Hills, Ill. (Stagg) |
| Mackenzie Daigh, UNI | SS | Sr. | Bucyrus, Kan. (Berean Christian) |
| Elizabeth Kay, Illinois State | C | Jr. | Bartlett, Ill. (Bartlett) |
| Maddie Lynch-Crumrine, Bradley | DP-P | So. | Sedro-Woolley, Wash. (Sedro-Woolley) |
| Jhavon Hamilton, Illinois State | DP-U | Jr. | Joliet, Ill. (Joliet West) |
| Lizzie Andrews, Illinois State | OF | Sr. | Algonquin, Ill. (Heartland CC) |
| Hannah Borschel, UNI | OF | Sr. | Marion, Iowa (Marion) |
| Mallory Duran-Sellers, Southern Illinois | OF | Sr. | Windsor, Colo. (Windsor) |
| Jamie Fisher, UNI | P | So. | Conrad, Iowa (BCLUW) |
| Natalie Rose, Missouri State | P | Sr. | Henryetta, Okla. (Henryetta) |
