Alma Tabbed to Win MIAA Softball Title in Preseason Poll

FREELAND, Mich. – In a preseason poll of Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association softball coaches, the Alma softball team was selected as the preseason favorite for the 2017 MIAA season in a poll of nine MIAA coaches.

Winners of the 2016 regular season and tournament titles, Alma received eight first-place votes to tally 64 points. Trine, which also represented the MIAA in the NCAA Softball Tournament, finished second in the poll with 55 points. Hope was picked to finish third with 50 points, including a first-place vote, while Calvin edged Saint Mary's for fourth, 39 points to 37 points.

Kalamazoo was a slight favorite over Adrian for sixth place with 27 points while the Bulldogs earned 25 points. Olivet (18) and Albion (9) rounded out the poll.

The preseason poll for MIAA softball awards eight points for a first-place vote, seven points for a second-place vote, et cetera; coaches were not allowed to vote for their own programs.

Alma (33-10 in 2016, 14-2 MIAA) enters the 2017 campaign ranked No. 12 nationally by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Morgan Stratton (Sr., P, Grand Blanc, Mich.) returns to the Scots' lineup after earning MIAA Most Valuable Pitcher honors last season after finishing second nationally in ERA (0.78).

Trine (33-14, 14-2), ranked 19th in the nation by the same NFCA preseason poll, advanced to the NCAA Super Regional round in 2016. Kaylee Fox (Jr., 1B/C, Vermillion, Ohio), a first-team All-MIAA performer last spring, returns to aid Trine in their efforts this season. 

Hope (23-18, 11-5) finished the 2016 campaign ranked 16th nationally in stolen bases per game (2.12). A pair of second-team All-MIAA players in Sammi Adams (Sr., OF, Griffith, Ind.) and Sydney Jones (Jr., P, South Lyon, Mich.) are back for 2017.

Calvin (23-13, 9-7) ended the 2016 season with a seven-game winning streak, but came up short of advancing to the MIAA tournament. Anna Gernant (So., P, West Des Moines, Iowa) returns after a first-team All-MIAA season as a freshman.

Feb. 17 marks the start of the 2017 spring slate, with Albion and Kalamazoo in action. The 2017 MIAA Tournament is slated for May 4-5, with the top four teams advancing to the highest seed from regular season play.