Contact: Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157

GRINNELL, Iowa – The Lake Forest College softball team is expected to win its third consecutive Midwest Conference (MWC) championship based on the results of the MWC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

The Midwest Conference was previously divided into North and South Divisions in the sport of softball, but has eliminated divisional play and will play a full round robin schedule in 2016. 

The Foresters garnered nine of a possible ten first-place votes to top the poll with 98 points.  The Rams of Cornell College finished second in the poll with 90 points after earning the final two first-place rankings.  Carroll University and Lawrence University are also expected to get back to the four-team MWC Tournament as they finished third (73 points) and fourth (70 points), respectively. 

St. Norbert College was predicted to finish fifth (66 points) with Illinois College earning 56 points and finishing sixth.  Monmouth College finished just behind the Lady Blues with 52.

Beloit College earned 38 points to come in eighth, followed by Ripon College (24 points), Grinnell College (21 points) and Knox College (17 points). 

A team-by-team preview of all 11 MWC programs is below:

Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach (# of seasons): Kim Zarling (9^th season) 70-200, 30-62 MWC
2015: 15-21, 8-7 MWC North
Projected MWC Finish: 8^th
Letterwinners returning: 11
Letterwinners lost: 3
Positions Starters Returning: 7
Pitchers Returning: 2
Returning All-MWC Performers: Tala Cornell, Bethany Stavrakas
Returning All-Region Performers: Tala Cornell

All-Midwest Conference selections Tala Cornell and Bethany Stavrakas will power the Buccaneer lineup again this spring.  Cornell needs just one more home run to set the all-time Beloit College record.  The outfielder hit eight of them last season and added 14 doubles for an impressive slugging percentage of .913 and average of .478.  Stavrakas batted .471 last year, stole nine bases and had ten sacrifice bunts. The Bucs will have two new right handers in the circle in Mikayla Martin and Taurie Burns, but will have an experienced club behind them. 

Carroll University Pioneers
Head Coach (# of seasons): Amy Gradecki (7^th season) 94-115, 38-32 MWC
2015: 22-17, 9-5 MWC North
Projected MWC Finish: 3^rd
Letterwinners returning: 11
Letterwinners lost:
Position Starters Returning: 6
Pitchers Returning: 1
Returning All-MWC Performers: Kelly Strasser, Micah Clutter, Abigail Herling

The Pioneers reached the 20-win plateau last season and return three all-conference players this spring.  Second Team All-MWC selection Abigail Herling led the Pioneer offense last season, leading the team with 60 total bases, 26 RBI and 45 hits.  Second basemen Micah Clutter and first basemen Kelly Strasser were also Second Team All-MWC picks a season ago and should hold down the right side of the infield again this spring.  Catcher Payton Sampson, shortstop Megan Kohlmetz and third basemen Kelly Sykes are all back in what will be a very deep an experienced lineup for the Pioneers. 

Cornell College Rams
Head Coach (# of seasons): Shanda Ness (10^th season) 188-141-1, 28-12 MWC
2015: 30-8, 12-3 MWC South
Projected MWC Finish: 2^nd
Letterwinners returning: 15
Letterwinners lost: 8
Position Starters Returning: 4
Pitchers Returning: 2
Returning All-MWC Performers: Jesse Applehans, Kendra Christensen, Brianna Carney
Returning All-Region Performers: Jesse Applehans, Kendra Christensen

The Rams set a single-season school record last season with 30 wins and established 14 other team records last spring.  Cornell brings back three all-conference performers including the battery of Jesse Applehans and Kendra Christensen.  Applehans set a program record last spring with 18 victories and held opponents to a .209 batting average.  The junior is just 11 wins shy of the Cornell all-time record (38).  Christensen, a Third Team All-Great Lakes Region selection, hit a program-best 10 homers and set another single season record with a .807 slugging percentage.  The Rams also bring back Brianna Carney at the hot corner.  The senior hit .402 last season with 11 doubles and 26 knocked in. 

Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach (# of seasons): Amanda Reckamp (6^th season) 9-138, 6-54     
2015: 6-29, 5-11 MWC South
Projected MWC Finish: 10^th
Letterwinners Returning: 9
Letterwinners Lost: 0
Returning All-MWC Performer: Kayla Morrissey
Returning All-Region Performer: Kayla Morrissey

The Pioneers made some serious strides last season and returner a big part of last season’s core, led by All-MWC Pick Kayla Morrisey.  Morrissey led the offense in average (.435), hits (50), homers (4), slugging percentage (.626), and RBI (26).  Outfielder Sage Juveland and infielder Lydia Stariha will provide plenty of speed to the lineup as they combined to swipe 19 bases last year.  Juveland was also a .400 hitter.  In the circle, the Pioneers will bring back top hurler Melissa Anderson who is aiming for more success with another year of experience. 

Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach (# of seasons): Megan Roman (4^th season) 46-53, 19-21 MWC
2015: 14-19, 6-9 MWC South
Projected MWC Finish: 6^th
Letterwinners Returning: 10
Letterwinners Lost: 7

The Lady Blues top two pitchers Amanda Price and Lanie Thompson are back to lead Illinois College this spring, who will certainly benefit from some incoming transfers.  Price, a senior, was 8-6 last spring with a 2.91 earned run average in 16 appearances, while Thompson, a sophomore, had a solid freshman campaign and will hope to improve on her 5-6 record.  Elyce Trout is IC’s top returner at the plate after finishing last season with a .292 average.  The Lady Blues will benefit from two incoming transfers from Benedictine University at Springfield and Shelby Koehler, a newcomer from NCAA Division II Emporia State University. 

Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach (# of seasons): Erin Rutledge (2^nd season): 2-29, 2-15 MWC
2015: 2-29, 2-15 MWC South
Projected MWC Finish: 11^th
Letterwinners Returning: 7
Letterwinners Lost: 6

Shortstop Dominique Scott was Knox’s top player last season and led the Prairie Fire in batting average (.379), hits (25), home runs (2), total bases (37), on-base percentage (.414) and slugging percentage (.561).  First baseman and catcher Chelsey Howard hit .296 last year and will be a critical bat again in the Prairie Fire lineup.  Both of Knox’s pitchers from last spring, Alannah Sanchez and Kristen Koviekis, will also return to the circle. 

Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach (# of seasons): Joe Kinsella (10^th season) 193-137-1, 91-16 MWC
2015: 35-11, 13-2 MWC South
Projected MWC Finish: 1^st
Letterwinners Returning: 14
Letterwinners Lost: 7
Returning All-MWC Performers: Jessi Werner, Jenny McTague, Alex Hemmer, Sally Snarski, Kaleigh Ambrose, Kat Beall, Sydney Gardner
Returning All-Region Performers: Jessi Werner, Kaleigh Ambrose, Sally Snarski, Alex Hemmer

The Foresters return plenty of talent to win their third straight conference title and have been picked to do so by the MWC coaches.  2015 MWC Pitcher of the Year Jessi Werner and All-MWC performer Jenny McTague will be a lethal 1-2 pitching punch again for MWC hitters.  Werner had 19 wins, 192 strikeouts and 18 complete games last season, while McTague produced 16 victories and a 1.72 ERA.  The tandem combined to hold opposing hitters to a .216 batting average.  Snarski will anchor the Lake Forest lineup again this spring.  She belted eight home runs, and had an on-base percentage of .528 by walking 34 times.  Alex Hemmer, Kaleigh Ambrose, and Snarski all knocked in 35 runs or more last season so the offense will not be short on power.  Kat Beall and Sydney Gardner will also be regulars on the basepaths after earning all-conference honors last year. 

Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Kim Tatro (23rd season) 367-321-1, 140-109 MWC
2015: 28-12, 10-4 MWC North
Projected MWC Finish: 4^th
Letterwinners Returning: 10
Letterwinners Lost: 3
Returning All-MWC Performers: Sam Belletini, Anna Wawiorka

Sam Belletini and Anna Wawiora will look to field the void left by All-American Amanda Jasksolski, as will Meg Krautsch, a transfer from Ripon.  Belletini slugged .563 last season and knocked in 24 runs, on her way to all-conference honors.  Anna Wawiorka was second on the team with 29 RBI and had 69 total bases.  She was also a perfect 16-for-16 in stolen base attempts.  Tierney Duffy will also be a critical piece in the outfield after she hit .390 last spring.  In the circle, Jessica Demski has limited experience, but will step into a more prominent role with the loss of Liz Barthels and Kara Vance.   

Monmouth College Fighting Scots
Head Coach: John Goddard (9^th season) 132-147, 59-35 MWC
2015: 12-22, 6-9 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 7^th
Letterwinners Returning: 15
Letterwinners Lost: 9
Returning All-MWC Performers: Liz Hippen

The Fighting Scots returning seven positional starters and two pitchers and are hoping to rebound after an injury-plagued 2015.  Liz Hippen will certainly aid the effort after earning all-conference honors last season.  Hippen led the team with a .382 average and a .449 on-base percentage.  Hippen was also the team’s top pitcher, finishing the season with an 8-6 record and a 2.23 ERA.  Charlotte Park will be behind the plate and at the hot corner for Monmouth again this season.  Park led the scots with six doubles, three long balls and 26 driven in.  Kayle Kurtz will assist Hippen in the circle, while Michaela Guthrie will be a critical piece to the effort. 


Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach (# of seasons): Jen Mueller (7^th season) 101-125, 43-40 MWC
2015: 5-26, 2-12 MWC North
Projected MWC Finish: 9^th
Letterwinners Returning: 9
Letterwinners Lost: 6

The Red Hawks should have a solid pitching staff this year with veterans Jessica Kobelt, Ashley Parkkonen and Haylea Hoskins all returning.  Parkkonen and Hoskins spent most of their time at first base and outfield, respectively.  Catcher Tene Robinson and Stephanie Cartwright are also returning to the Ripon infield.  The Red Hawks struggled at the plate last season, but are hoping a year of an experience will boost their averages in 2016. 

St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach (# of seasons): Jo Ann Krueger (19^th season) 325-288-1, 138-68 MWC
2015: 13-21, 8-6 MWC North
Projected MWC Finish: 5^th
Letterwinners Returning: 8
Letterwinners Lost: 8 

Battery mates Emily Laufer and Francesca Marrese are aiming to get the Green Knights back to the postseason after missing out on the MWC Tournament last season.  Laufer will be behind the plate again in 2016 and will be St. Norbert’s top returning hitter after she hit .338 with eight doubles and three homers last spring.  Marrese started eight games last year and produced a 3-5 record, but had a 3.84 ERA in 13 appearances.  The Green Knights also bring back two outfielders in Morgan Schillinger and Amy McBride and utility players Brooke Wilson and Gina Mastrodomenic.