University of Northern Iowa Athletics
MVC Announces Coaches Poll and Preseason Selections
1/30/2019 10:06:00 AM | Softball
CEDAR FALL, Iowa – UNI softball is projected to finish third in the conference, according to the 2019 MVC softball preseason poll released this morning by the league's coaches.
Sammey Bunch landed a spot on the Preseason All-MVC Team for the second consecutive season. Bunch is coming off back-to-back All-MVC First Team selections while also being named to the MVC All-Defensive Team in 2018.
In 2018, Bunch started in all 52 games for UNI while tallying a career-high 60 base hits. She led the team with five home runs, 31 RBI, 30 runs and 17 extra-base hits. Bunch also stole eight bags and walked a career-high 14 times.
The Panthers are coming off a 26-26 season, with an 11-14 MVC record in 2018. UNI returns eight starting position players and three pitchers, while also welcoming seven freshmen.
Drake is projected to finish first and received 99 points along with nine first-place votes. Southern Illinois comes in second with 84 points but received no first-place votes. UNI finishes with a projection of third and received one first-place vote. It is the second straight year the Panthers have been voted third in the MVC preseason poll.
The Panthers' 2019 season kicks off at home in the UNI-Dome Classic against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks at 2:45 p.m. Feb. 8.
2019 SOFTBALL MVC PRESEASON POLL (FPV) –
Drake (9)
Southern Illinois
UNI (1)
Missouri State
Illinois State
Valparaiso
Indiana State
Bradley
Evansville
Loyola
2019 SOFTBALL PRESEASON ALL-MVC TEAM –
Allison Apke | Bradley | 1B | Jr.
Maddy Vermejan | Southern Illinois | 2B | Jr.
Andrea Coursey | Illinois State | 3B | So.
Sammey Bunch | UNI | SS | Jr.
Katelyn Massa | Southern Illinois | C | Jr.
Morgan Florey | Evansville | UT/P | Sr.
Eryn Gould | Evansville | DP/UT-NP | So.
Macy Johnson | Drake | OF | So.
Shannon McGee | Loyola | OF | Jr.
Bella Peterson | Indiana State | OF | So.
Nicole Newman | Drake | P | R-Sr.
Brianna Jones | Southern Illinois | P | Sr.
Sammey Bunch landed a spot on the Preseason All-MVC Team for the second consecutive season. Bunch is coming off back-to-back All-MVC First Team selections while also being named to the MVC All-Defensive Team in 2018.
In 2018, Bunch started in all 52 games for UNI while tallying a career-high 60 base hits. She led the team with five home runs, 31 RBI, 30 runs and 17 extra-base hits. Bunch also stole eight bags and walked a career-high 14 times.
The Panthers are coming off a 26-26 season, with an 11-14 MVC record in 2018. UNI returns eight starting position players and three pitchers, while also welcoming seven freshmen.
Drake is projected to finish first and received 99 points along with nine first-place votes. Southern Illinois comes in second with 84 points but received no first-place votes. UNI finishes with a projection of third and received one first-place vote. It is the second straight year the Panthers have been voted third in the MVC preseason poll.
The Panthers' 2019 season kicks off at home in the UNI-Dome Classic against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks at 2:45 p.m. Feb. 8.
2019 SOFTBALL MVC PRESEASON POLL (FPV) –
Drake (9)
Southern Illinois
UNI (1)
Missouri State
Illinois State
Valparaiso
Indiana State
Bradley
Evansville
Loyola
2019 SOFTBALL PRESEASON ALL-MVC TEAM –
Allison Apke | Bradley | 1B | Jr.
Maddy Vermejan | Southern Illinois | 2B | Jr.
Andrea Coursey | Illinois State | 3B | So.
Sammey Bunch | UNI | SS | Jr.
Katelyn Massa | Southern Illinois | C | Jr.
Morgan Florey | Evansville | UT/P | Sr.
Eryn Gould | Evansville | DP/UT-NP | So.
Macy Johnson | Drake | OF | So.
Shannon McGee | Loyola | OF | Jr.
Bella Peterson | Indiana State | OF | So.
Nicole Newman | Drake | P | R-Sr.
Brianna Jones | Southern Illinois | P | Sr.
Players Mentioned
INF
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