Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Assistant Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa — Lake Forest College has been selected to win the Midwest Conference (MWC) Softball Championship in the preseason poll voted on by the league’s head coaches, announced Wednesday.
 
The defending champion Foresters received eight first-place votes to take the top spot in the poll with 79 points. Last season, the Foresters defeated the Green Knights of St. Norbert College 5-4 on a walk off two-run homer to win the Conference title and make a strong run in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Foresters would make a NCAA Regional Final exit in the championship round.
 
The Lady Blues of Illinois College picked up a first-place vote and 68 points for second place. The Lady Blues finished the 2019 regular season as the two seed headed into the Conference tournament but did not make it to the second day of play.
 
St. Norbert edged out the Cornell Rams by just two points to take third place in the poll with 63 points. The Green Knights found their way to the tournament championship game through a third-place seed last season as finished as runner-up to the Foresters. The Green Knights last won the league title in 2017 and 2018. Picking up the final first-place vote and 61 points, the Rams finished in fourth place.
 
With nearly a four-way tie in last year’s race to the league title between Lake Forest, Illinois College, St. Norbert and Grinnell, the Rams just missed their third consecutive Conference postseason appearance. This season the Rams will seek redemption and a chance to win their first crown since the 2013 season.

Rounding out out the top five is Monmouth College in fifth place with 47 points. Last season, the Scots led the league for a majority of the season before falling out of postseason contention the last week of the regular season play. Monmouth will look to defy expectations and return to the Conference tournament for the first time since 2016. 
 
The 2020 season will begin with Illinois College and Beloit College opening with non-Conference games on Thursday, February 20 and Monday, February 24, respectively. Conference action kicks off on Saturday, March 28.
 
The 2020 Softball Tournament will be held on May 1-2, 2020 with the regular season champion serving as host to the four-team field.
 
Full preseason poll results can be found below followed by quick facts for all ten MWC teams.
 
2020 MWC Softball Preseason Poll
 
            1. Lake Forest College (8), 79                             6. Grinnell College, 44
            2. Illinois College (1), 68                                     7. Lawrence University, 32
            3. St. Norbert College, 63                                   8. Ripon, 29
            4. Cornell College (1), 61                                   9. Knox College, 15
            5. Monmouth College, 47                                  10. Beloit College, 12   
 
Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Kim Zarling (13^th Season)
2019 Season: 7-33 Overall; 1-17 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 10th
Key Returnees: Madi Christine (Sr), OF, All-Conference, 31 R, 42 H, .365 Avg., 5 doubles, 57 putouts, 5 assists; Emily Stapay (Jr), P/1B, All-Conference, 22 R, 36 H, .340 Avg., 10 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR; Kaitlyn Taft (So), C/1B, All-Conference, .385 Avg., 7 R, 15 H
 
Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Jackie Sernek (3^rd Season)
2019 Season: 20-16 Overall; 10-8 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 4th
Starters Returning: 8 position, 1 pitcher
Key Returnees: Kim Rose (Sr), C, .290 Avg., 2HR, 21 RBI, 11 2b, .460 slug%, 191 putouts; Jana Froehle (Sr), 2B, .383 Avg., 5HR, 32 RBI, 36 runs, 46 hits, 7 2B, 4 3B, .633 slug%; Maddy Smith (Sr), .352 Avg, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 38 hits, 8 2B, 4 3B, .556 slug%, 62 assists; Sabrina Clabrese (Sr), SS, .330 Avg., 2 HR, 7 RBI, 21 runs, 34 hits, 4 3B, .422 slug%; Cailynn Wichman (Jr), LF, .312 Avg., 16 RBI, 21 runs, 34 hits, 4 3B, .422 slug%; Carley Robison (Sr), CF, .347 Avg., 14 RBI, 21 runs, 35 hits, 5 2B, .416 slug%; Lily Dalhstrom (Sr), FR, .344 Avg., 9 RBI, 24 runs, 33 hits, .382 OB%; Kat Edmond (Sr), DP, .402 Avg., 2 HR, 30 RBI, 33 hits, 8 2B, .573 slug%, 63 putouts
 
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Lynn Anderson (2^nd Season)
2019 Season: 19-22 Overall; 13-5 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 6th
Starters Returning: 3 position
Key Returnees: Mya Davis (Jr), IF, .392 Avg., 20 R, 47 H, 33 RBI, .617 slug%, .433 OB%; Leila Bishop-Parise (Jr), OF, .302 Avg., 33 R, 39 H, 14 RBI, .357 slug%, .379 OB%; Flynn Johnson (Jr), IF, .250 Avg., 9 R, 24 H, 10 RBI, .271 slug%, .321 OB%
 
Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Meghan Roman (8^th Season)
2019 Season: 19-15 Overall; 13-5 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 2nd
Starters Returning: 2 position, 1 pitcher
Key Returnees: Sam Seggerman (Jr), OF, All-Conference; Madisyn Webster (So), OF; Sydney Hood (So), P, 2019 MWC Pitcher of the Year
 
Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Erin Rutledge (6^th Season)
2019 Season: 6-32 Overall; 2-16 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 9th
Starters Returning: 8 position, 1 pitcher
Key Returnees: Katy Coseglia (Sr), UT, All-Conference, .426 Avg., 30 R, 38 RBI, 3HR, 18 2B; Mady Ferris (Jr), OF, All-Conference, .365 Avg., 27 R; Casey Hipp (Jr), 1B/3B, .317 Avg., 26 RBI
 
Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Joe Kinsella (14^th Season)
2019 Season: 26-16 Overall; 14-4 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 1st
Starters Returning: 4 position, 1 pitcher
Key Returnees: Missy Dieckman-Meyer (Sr), P; Riley Frisbie (Sr), 1B, All-Conference; Shaye Gauthier (Jr), 2B/P, All-Conference; Sydney Wyatt (Sr), C; Hannah Kalnicky (Jr), SS
 
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Kim Tatro (26^th Season)
2019 Season: 13-21 Overall; 9-9 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 7th
Starters Returning: 6 position
Key Returnees: Ceara Larson (Jr), C, All-Conference, 2019 MWC Player of the Year; Amanda Karnatz (Sr), CF, All-Conference; Emilia Jackson (Sr), P/1B, All-Conference; Liz Jonjak (Jr), 2B; Maria Reiter (Sr), LF; Lexi Angemi (Sr), 1B/P
 
Monmouth College Scots
Head Coach: John Goddard (13^th Season)
2019 Season: 13-23 Overall; 10-8 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 5th
Starters Returning: 6 position, 3 pitchers
Key Returnees: Jessica Pauley (So), C, All-Conference, .383 Avg., 9 R, 51 RBI, 477 slug%; Alexis Opel (Jr), SS, .275 Avg., 18 R, 10 RBI, .350 slug%; Alison Trettin (Jr), 3B, .302 Avg., 4 R, 1HR, 9 RBI, .435 slug%; Brittney Enos (Jr), 1B, .326 Avg., 4 R, 1HR, 9 RBI, .435 slug%; Laura Dulee (Sr), LF, .290 Avg., 6 R, 14 RBI, .346 slug%; Megan Corniels (Jr), C/DH, .288 Avg., 6 R, 14 RBI, .346 slug%; Cassidy Abbott (Jr), P, 4.79 ERA, 5-10, 17 App, 73.0 IP, 98 hits, 55 BB, 31 SO, .325 Opp. BA; Hailey Rennick (Jr), P, 3.63 ERA, 4-8. 16 App, 54.0 IP, 83 hits, 11 BB, 23 SO, .336 Opp. BA; Jenna Pauley (So), P, 3.41 ERA, 3-3, 15 App, 53.1 IP, 57 hits, 17 BB, 14 SO, .270 Opp. BA; Lauren Sperry (Sr), RF, .256 Avg., 8 R, 8 RBI, .279 slug%; Abby Tucker (Jr), 2B, .246 Avg., 13 R, 5 RBI, .308 slug%; Savannah Ball (Jr), 1B, .218 Avg., 8 R, 9 RBI, .261 slug%
 
Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Steve Wammer (3^rd Season)
2019 Season: 10-26 Overall; 5-13 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 8th
Starters Returning: X
Key Returnees: Micaela Encarnacion (So), OF, .257 Avg., 24 R, 29 H, 2HR, 5 RBI, .327 slug%, .300 OB%; Claire Luebke (Jr), IF/P, 8.08 ERA, 5 APP, 8.2 IP, .314 Avg., 7 R, 16 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .431 slug%, .379 OB%
 
St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach: JoAnn Krueger (23^rd Season)
2019 Season: 23-17 Overall; 13-5 MWC
2020 Projected MWC Finish: 3rd
Starters Returning: 8 position, 2 pitchers
Key Returnees: Brianna Braeger (Sr), OF, All-Conference, .458 Avg., 44 H, 17 R, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 1HR, 4 SB; Carley Frauenhoff (Sr), IF, All-Conference, .310 Avg., 24 R, 44 H, 10 doubles