Sangamon Sun

The Illinois College softball team has been ranked third in the Midwest Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league. Following a 20-22 season with a 12-4 record in conference play, the Lady Blues are looking to build on their past performance. The team is led by junior catcher Brooke Loveall and sophomore outfielder Elysia Hand, both of whom were all-conference selections last season. First-year head coach Samantha Mendez will have 12 returning letter winners, including seniors Delaney Melton, Emma Hardiek, Kayla Serpa, and Haley Flores.

Lake Forest College emerged as the preseason favorite according to the league coaches. The Foresters received six first-place votes and accumulated 62 points to secure the top position among nine teams. Last year, Lake Forest achieved an undefeated record of 16-0 in conference play and claimed its 13th regular-season title.

The Midwest Conference Softball Tournament is set for May 9 and May 10. The top four teams based on conference win percentage will compete in this double-elimination event. The tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to participate in the NCAA Tournament.

The complete standings from the preseason poll are as follows: Lake Forest College leads with 62 points; Grinnell College follows with 56 points; Illinois College ranks third with 50 points; Cornell College comes next with 46 points; Monmouth College has 30 points; Lawrence University earned 28 points; Ripon College garnered 23 points; Beloit College collected 21 points; Knox College rounds out the list with eight points.