(GPAC Release) Morningside College, champions of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) regular season in 2007, are the coaches' choice to win the 2008 league softball title. The Mustangs garnered 143 points and eleven first place votes in the preseason poll. Morningside posted a 43-13 record last spring. Dana is picked second with 132 points and one first place vote. The final first place vote went to Concordia, champions of the GPAC Postseason Tournament last spring. The Bulldogs are picked fourth in the balloting. Midland Lutheran was picked third, while Northwestern was tabbed fifth.
The GPAC softball season will once again consist of 24 games and conclude with the GPAC Postseason Tournament on May 1-2 at the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings, Nebraska. The NAIA Region III Tournament will be hosted by the GPAC and Morningside College at the SYA Softball Complex in Sioux City, Iowa, May 7-9.
Points were assigned on a 12-1 basis and coaches' could not vote for their own team.
Here is the complete GPAC Softball 2007 preseason coaches' poll:
Team | Points | First Place Votes |
1. Morningside | 143 | 11 |
2. Dana | 132 | 1 |
3. Midland Lutheran | 112 | |
4. Concordia | 111 | 1 |
5. Northwestern | 101 | |
6. Nebraska Wesleyan | 76 | |
7. Hastings | 75 | |
8. Doane | 74 | |
9. Briar Cliff | 67 | |
10. Dakota Wesleyan | 52 | |
11. Dordt | 27 | |
12. Mount Marty | 23 | |
13. Sioux Falls | 21 | |