Southern Illinois won the 2023 MVC Softball Championship after ending the regular season in 6th place. UNI looks to replicate their regular season and end up in 1st place. Missouri State ended in 2nd place with Illinois state right behind in 3rd. Murray State and Indiana State ended the season with the same conference record, but Murray State ended in 4th and Indiana State in 5th. The 2024 Champion site will hosted by Illinois State in Normal, Illinois.
About The Poll
2023 MVC regular season champs top the preseason poll with 10 first place votes. Southern Illinois, the reigning MVC tournament champs are right behind. Missouri State slots in 3rd with one first place vote. Illinois follows behind in 4th with Indiana State right behind them in 6th. Belmont and Murray State share 6th place for this upcoming season. Drake and Evansville come right behind those two with Drake in 8th and Evansville in 9th. The last three teams come in at 10th for Bradley, 11th for UIC, and 12th for Valparaiso.
Preseason All-MVC
Only four Valley teams make up this year's Preseason All-MVC team. UNI and Southern Illinois lead the Valley with 4 players from each team. Missouri State has 2 of its players make the team. Indiana State's Isabella Henning returns to the Preseason All-MVC team with Elizabeth Warwick (Southern Illinois), and Madison Parks (UNI).
- P (1)- Samantha Heyer (UNI)
- P(2)- Madi Eberle (SIU)
- C- Alexi Pupillo (UNI)
- 1B- Isabella Henning (Indiana State)
- 2B- Taylor Hogan (UNI)
- 3B- Olivia Krehbiel (Missouri State)
- SS- Jackie Lis (SIU)
- UT/P- Mckenzie Vaughan (Missouri State)
- DP/UT-NP- Addison McElrath (UNI)
- OF (1)- Elizabeth Warwick (SIU)
- OF (2)- Madison Parks (UNI)
- OF (3)- Emma Austin (SIU)
ABOUT THE TEAMS
UNI
- 1st
- UNI, the back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champions, returns both the 2023 MVC Pitcher of the Year, Samantha Heyer, and the 2023 MVC Freshman of the Year, Alexis Pupillo, as the Panthers look to defend their regular season crown. Last season Heyer made 38 appearances, compiling a 23-5 record with a 1.61 ERA in 170 innings pitched and three saves. Pupillo started all 51 games at catcher for the Panthers and recorded an MVC-best .412 batting average with a team and conference-leading 66 hits, 49 RBIs, 17 home runs, a team-best 14 doubles and two triples.
- The Panthers will once again boast a lineup with plenty of power in 2024 as the team looks to break a program record for a third consecutive season. UNI has set a program record for home runs in a season in both 2022 and 2023, which culminated with the Panthers hitting 73 home runs last season
Southern Illinois
- 2nd
- The Southern Illinois Salukis are coming off their 15th NCAA Tournament Appearance after winning the 2023 MVC Tournament. Southern returns all but three players from last year’s roster including six 2023 All-MVC recipients.
- Sophomore Jackie Lis and Senior Elizabeth Warwick were both named to D1Softball’s 2024 preseason power rankings for their respective positions with Lis as the No. 9 shortstop and Warwick at No. 45 in the list of outfielders.
- The Salukis will face off with five Big 10 opponents as well Central Arkansas and Texas State who both appeared in the 2023 NCAA Tournament prior to beginning conference play.
Missouri State
- 3rd
- Missouri State softball returns 14 players from last year’s 31-20 squad, including all five pitchers from last season’s staff. The group of returners is also highlighted by the Bears’ top two hitters and NFCA All-Region selections from a year ago in McKenzie Vaughan and Olivia Krehbiel. MSU’s group of newcomers consists of five freshmen and one transfer.
- In 2024, the Bears are set to face six NCAA Tournament teams from last season, highlighted by contests against 2023 Women’s College World Series participants Tennessee and Oklahoma State. Missouri State will face two top-15 opponents on opening weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clemson and Oregon, both of which made it to Super Regionals in 2023.
Illinois State
- 4th
- Illinois State softball returns All-MVC Second Team honorees, Abby Knight and Delainey Bryant, All-MVC Defensive Team selection, Jayden Standish, as well as key leadership in fifth-year, Kaili Chval.
- The Redbirds are versatile, athletic, talented on both sides of the ball.
Indiana State
- 5th
- After a record-breaking season, Mike Perniciaro enters his seventh season as head coach of the Sycamores where he will have to replace the production of graduates Olivia Patton, Lexi Benko, TeAnn Bringle, Cassie Thomerson, and Annie Tokarek who were key pieces for ISU in previous seasons. The Sycamores return 14 players from last year's roster while adding 8 freshmen and junior transfer Anna Macha (OF). Four seniors who are a huge aspect of this 2024 team are Isabella Henning (1B), Danielle Henning (UT), Kennedy Shade (IF), and Abi Chipps (UT), who helped lead the Sycamores to the MVC Championship in the 2023 season in addition to setting a program record for most wins in a season (32) and most Valley wins in a season (17). Isabella Henning was ranked No.15 in the D1 Softball rankings for first basemen as well as First Team All-MVC after hitting a team-high .378 last season with 65 hits including 12 doubles and 10 home runs.
- The Sycamores will kick off their 2024 season in Houston, Texas on February 9 with a pair of games against Houston and Rutgers.
Belmont
- 6th
- Belmont enters the season with two key returners, Abi Ledbetter and Maya Johnson. Ledbetter, reigning MVC Defensive Player of the Year and member of the MVC All-Defensive Team, posted 257 putouts while averaging a .978 fielding percentage last season. Johnson, MVC All-Second Team, compiled a 10-4 record while averaging a 2.62 ERA last season.
- The Bruins head into their second year in the MVC, and look to build off their success last season after coming up short in the MVC Semifinals.
Murray State
- 6th
- Racers Softball features 10 new faces which includes eight freshmen in their 21-player roster.
- Senior catcher Taylor Jackson returns for the Racers. She was named MVC All-Defensive team last year after posting 371 putouts through the season.
- The Racers will also feature the return of senior pitcher Jenna Veber who only allowed 21 walks and a 2.02 ERA last season.
- Murray State placed fourth in the regular season of their inaugural campaign at the Missouri Valley Conference last season.
Drake
- 8th
- Drake is entering a new era on the softball diamond as the Bulldogs have a new head coach for the first time since 2003. Lindsay Diehl takes the reigns of the Bulldog softball program after a successful stint at junior college power Indian Hills. Diehl replaces long-time coach Rich Calvert after he moved on from the team after last season.
- The Bulldogs return the bulk of their production from last season including the top two offensive pieces in utility players Emma Dighton and Emily Valtman, both .300 hitters last year. Dighton also brings back the most pitching experience with 81 innings and 28 appearances in the circle.
Evansville
- 9th
- Evansville’s 2024 squad brings back a wealth of experience with 20 players from last year’s team coming back. The entire regular starting lineup from 2023 returns including 5th-year player Hannah Hood and Jess Willsey, who had the top batting average for the Purple Aces.
- In the circle, the Purple Aces see their top three pitchers from last season return in 2024. Megan Brenton posted a team-best 2.23 ERA while earning six saves. Sydney Weatherford led the team with six wins while recording a 3.33 ERA. Mikayla Jolly was third on last year’s team with a 3.58 ERA and made 21 starts.
Bradley
- 10th
- Bradley’s 2024 offense boasts greater depth with the return of sophomore Lauren DeRolf, who led the team in batting average, hits, and total bases. The on base and slugging leader in Bailey Sample returns along with Abbott Badgley who led the team in home runs.
- Behind the dish, the Braves bring back Jordy van der Werf who led the NCAA in caught stealing last season with 23. In the circle, junior Camryn Schaller who started 12 games last year and led the team in strikeouts returns for the Braves.
UIC
- 11th
- After 168.2 inning in the circle in the 2023 season, UIC’s Christina Toniolo returns to the circle for the Flames for a final season of play. The Crystal Lake native has collected 250 strikeouts in her 115 appearances in the circle during her career at UIC
- No one from UIC found more consistency in the batters box than graduate student Alannah Cran, who finished the 2023 campaign on a 12-game hitting streak. She returns to the Flames after leading the program in hits (35), batting average (.327) and going eight-for-eight in stolen bases .
Valparaiso
- 12th
- Nearly half of Valpo's 21-player roster is new to the program this season. The Beacons welcome eight true freshmen and one transfer to join 12 returnees for the 2024 campaign.
- Leading the Beacons' group of returnees is senior outfielder Regi Hecker. Hecker paced Valpo in batting average, RBIs and stolen bases a season ago.