HUDSONVILLE, Mich. – In a preseason poll of nine Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) softball coaches, Trine University was selected to finish first in the league after tallying seven first-place votes and a total of 63 points.

Calvin University finished second in the poll with 58 points and the two remaining first-place votes, followed by Adrian College in third with 45 points.  Adrian College (45 points) and Alma College (43 points) rounded out the top four.  Hope College (39 points) had the edge over Kalamazoo College (30 points) to clinch fifth place.  Albion College and Saint Mary's College tied-for-seventh with 19 points while The University of Olivet was voted to finish ninth (8 points).

Trine had an exceptional year in 2023, winning the MIAA regular-season, the MIAA Softball Tournament, and the NCAA Softball Tournament.  The Thunder finished with a league record of 15-1 and an overall record of 46-6.  The 2023 All-MIAA players returning from the national championship squad include sophomore pitcher Debbie Hill, senior pitcher Alexis Michon, and three-time All-MIAA senior outfielder Ellie Trine.  In league play alone, Hill concluded top three in the conference with 8.55 strikeouts per game, an earned-run average of 0.73, seven doubles, three home runs, 23 runs batted in, 38 total bases, and a slugging percentage of .826.  Hill was named TUCCI/NFCA Division III Freshman of the Year and was selected the National Player of the Week on April 5.  Michon led the conference with three saves and 9.52 strikeouts per game, while also finished second in ERA (0.56).  Ellie Trine wrapped up the season with four triples and 17 runs.

The Knights earned a conference record of 13-3 and an overall record of 29-11 last year.  Calvin's roster will be headlined by 2023 First Team All-MIAA junior catcher Taylor Sanborn.  Sanborn, a two-time All-MIAA selection, concluded the 2023 campaign as the league's leader with nine doubles.  She also finished in the MIAA's top five with 23 hits, 21 RBIs, a batting average of .511, an on-base percentage of .531, and 78 put outs.  The returning 2023 Second Team All-MIAA honorees include sophomore infielder Carly Dole and sophomore pitcher Emma Ludema.  Dole was recognized with All-Region VII accolades by the NFCA in 2023.

Adrian completed the 2023 campaign with a 10-6 mark in league play and an overall record of 28-15.  The Bulldog roster will feature senior shortstop Karson Bagelmann who earned a spot on the All-MIAA First Team last year along with receiving All-Region VII recognition from the NFCA.  Bagelmann led the conference with 27 hits and 14 stolen bases while also contributing 20 runs, a batting average of .519, and an on-base percentage of .576.  Junior second baseman/shortstop Brynn McKay and junior pitcher Abbi Patton will also return to the Adrian team after receiving a nod to the All-MIAA Second Team in 2023.

The Scots finished 2023 with a conference record of 12-4 and an overall record of 23-18.  Alma will look to senior third baseman Danielle Dumoulin who was named to the 2023 All-MIAA First Team.  Dumoulin led the league in a number of stats including home runs (5), runs batted in (26), sacrifice flies (6), and slugging percentage (.929).

Hope welcomes Michelle Brander Metiva in her first season as head coach of the program.  The Flying Dutch ended the 2023 campaign with a 7-9 mark in league play and an overall record of 21-17-1.  Hope will look to the leadership of 2023 First Team All-MIAA senior outfielder Peyton Benjamin this season.  Benjamin led the MIAA with 63 plate appearances and 59 at bats while also contributing 25 hits.

In losing their 2023 All-MIAA players, both Kalamazoo (6-10 overall, 19-19 MIAA) and Albion (5-11 MIAA, 13-22 overall) will look to a trio of seniors to lead them throughout the season.  Saint Mary's (4-12 MIAA, 11-25 overall) welcomes back senior second baseman/pitcher Caitlin Traxler after earning Second Team All-MIAA recognition last year.  Olivet finished the 2022 campaign with a 0-16 record against MIAA opponents.

MIAA competition is slated to begin on Saturday, April 6, with Calvin hosting Adrian, Alma hosting Saint Mary's, Hope hosting Olivet, and Kalamazoo hosting Trine all for doubleheaders beginning at 1:00 p.m.

The 2024 MIAA Softball Tournament will be held May 9-10.  The winner will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship which begins with the regionals May 16-18.

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.