The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) softball team was picked to finish 16th in the 2019 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Softball Coaches’ Poll. Winona State University was picked to finish first in the NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches’ Poll. The Warriors received 12 first-place votes. Augustana University was slotted second in the poll. They received four first-place votes. Winona State’s Lani Van Zyl was named the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year, while Winona State’s Jordyn Kleman earned NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors.
The Golden Eagles enter their first season under Head Coach Travis Owen, who previously served as an assistant coach at Division I Northern Colorado for two seasons. UMC went 6-40 during the 2018 season and return five starters from the squad. UMC is led by Rocky Bjorge (Sr., 1B/3B, Prior Lake), who hit .323 with eight runs scored, three doubles, one home run, and 17 RBI. In addition, Mikaela Rodriguez (Jr., 2B/SS, Laveen, Ariz.) is back after hitting .301 with 20 runs scored, 10 doubles, one triple, three home runs, and 24 RBI. Maggie Morales (Sr., 1B/OF, Tucson, Ariz.) hit .279 last season with seven doubles and 14 RBI. Samantha Proctor (Jr., C, Champlin) hit .260 with three doubles and five RBI.
In the circle, Paige Pitlick (Jr., RHP, Jordan) leads the way after putting up a 4.36 ERA last season in 69.0 innings pitched. Pitlick had 40 strikeouts to 42 walks. Mikayla Jones (Sr., RHP, Huxley, Iowa) also returns after going 3-5 with a 5.84 ERA in 68.1 innings pitched last season. Jones had 30 strikeouts to 32 walks.
UMC opens the season February 9 at the Minot State Dome in Minot, North Dakota, against Black Hills State University and Minot State University.
2019 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll Points
- Winona State (12) 222
- Augustana (4) 214
- Minnesota State 180
- Minnesota Duluth 179
- Northern State 168
- St. Cloud State 159
- Concordia-St. Paul 140
- Sioux Falls 135
- Minot State 105
- Southwest Minnesota State 82
- Upper Iowa 79
- Wayne State 73
- University of Mary 68
- Bemidji State 62
- MSU Moorhead 36
- Minnesota Crookston 18
First place votes in ( )
