Softball | 1/12/2016 2:37:00 PM

GAC Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll

BETHANY, Okla. — Coming off its first appearance at the Great American Conference Championships in its first year of eligibility, the GAC coaches have picked Southern Nazarene to finish seventh in the 2016 softball season.
 
The GAC announced its Preseason Softball Coaches' Poll and the Crimson Storm garnered 61 points to start just ahead of Arkansas-Monticello. SNU finished sixth in last year's regular season and defeated UAM in the loser's bracket of the GAC Championship before falling to eventual Central Region Tournament participant Arkansas Tech.
 
SNU returns two-time All-GAC First Team selection Kayla Wyatt who has led the conference in strikeouts in each of the last two years. Wyatt had 224 strikeouts on the year and was second in Division II. All-GAC Second Team selection and NAIA All-American Jill Clemence also return for her senior season. After redshirting in 2014, Clemence hit .442 with 23 RBIs and 37 runs scored.
 
The Storm return 14 letterwinners from last year's team and seven key starters, including both Wyatt and Katelyn Brown in the circle. SNU has just three seniors on the team, but has a slew of juniors and a handful of underclassmen who add much needed depth.
 
East Central will enter the 2016 softball season as the preseason favorite. The Tigers, who had 113 points and six first place votes, posted a 34-16 record, and a 25-8 mark in GAC play, last season. Henderson State, the 2015 GAC regular-season champions, placed second in the poll. The Reddies had five first place votes and 104 points after they also advanced to their first NCAA Tournament on the heels of winning a school-record 43 games.
 
Southern Arkansas was picked third atat 98 points and received the only other first place votes. The Muleriders were followed by Southeastern Oklahoma State in fourth at 90 points, Arkansas Tech in fifth at 89 points and Harding at sixth with 71 points.
 
The Crimson Storm get underway Feb. 5-6 at the Gulf Coast Invitational. SNU then plays at the UAM 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Arkansas, before opening the GAC at Arkansas-Monticello. Feb. 19-20. Southern Nazarene opens the home season Feb. 26-27 by hosting Southern Arkansas.