The Missouri Valley Conference has announced its 2021 softball poll and preseason team, and Southern Illinois is the favorite to win this year’s title.   The league’s 10 head coaches voted on this year’s poll and team.   The Salukis received six first-place votes and 96 total points to edge Illinois State in this year’s poll.

The Redbirds received two first-place tallies and 87 total points to finish second.   Missouri State was the third choice, as the Lady Bears earned 78 total points, while UNI was next-best, earning 70 total points and a first-place vote.   Drake received the remaining first-place vote and finished fifth in the poll with 57 total points.   Indiana State (44), Evansville (40), Bradley (35), Valparaiso (28) and Loyola (15) rounded out the poll.
 
Seven of the league’s 10 teams were represented on the preseason team, while Southern Illinois garnered the most total selections (4) on the 13-player unit.   Illinois State (3) and UNI (2) also had multiple players selected to the team.
 
League teams have combined for an 82-79 non-conference slate through games of March 15.   League play begins this weekend, and the conference season culminates in Evansville, Ind., with a six-team conference tournament May 13-15.   The winner earns the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.
 
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE 2021 SOFTBALL
Updated MVC Stats -- Click Here   |  MVC MBB Composite Schedule -- Click Here
NCAA Statistics -- Click Here     |   MVC Statistics Archive (1983-present)  -- Click Here
 
Team (First-Place Votes)             Points
1. Southern Illinois (6)                  96
2. Illinois State (2)                         87
3. Missouri State                            78
4. UNI (1)                                        70
5. Drake (1)                                     57
6. Indiana State                              44
7. Evansville                                   40
8. Bradley                                        35
9. Valparaiso                                  28
10. Loyola                                       15

MVC Image Gallery


2021 MVC Preseason Team
1B Alley Ivey, Loyola
2B Maddy Vermejan, Southern Illinois
3B Andrea Coursey, Illinois State
3B Adara Opiola, UNI
SS Sammey Bunch, UNI
C Katelyn Massa, Southern Illinois
UT/P Mack Leonard, Illinois State
DP/UT-NP Taise Thompson, Bradley
OF Eryn Gould, Evansville
OF Jenny Jansen, Southern Illinois
OF Macy Johnson, Drake
P Morgan Day, Illinois State
P Sarah Harness, Southern Illinois