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Coaches Pick Softball Third In MAC Preseason Poll
February 15, 2021 | Softball
CLEVELAND, Ohio - - The Ball State softball program was picked to finish third in the 11-team Mid-American Conference regular season race as voted on by the league's head coaches in the 2021 MAC Preseason Poll.
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The Cardinals, who earned 88 total points and picked up one first-place vote, trailed only Kent State (106 points / 7 first-place votes) and Miami (94 points / 2 first-place votes) in the voting.
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New for this season, the MAC's regular season champion will earn the league's automatic berth into the 2021 NCAA Regionals.
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Rounding out the regular season poll were Ohio (76 points), Central Michigan (66), Northern Illinois (60), Toledo (51), Bowling Green (50), Western Michigan (36), Buffalo (19) and Akron (13).
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Ball State returns nearly its entire team from the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season, including all five seniors who were set to graduate. New to the squad, however, is first-year head coach Lacy Wood who will look to guide the program to its sixth MAC regular season title.
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During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Cardinals tallied an 18-9 overall record, the third-best through 27 games in program history. The team's 18 wins were six more than any other team in the MAC, and Ball State was the top-ranked team in the only release of the 2020 NCAA RPI.
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The 2020 squad tied a program record with an 11-game winning streak and led the MAC in 12 team statistical categories and 13 individual statistical categories. The two biggest, Ball State led the MAC in both batting average (.304) and team ERA (2.22).
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The Ball State softball team is scheduled to open the 2021 season Feb. 26 at the Coach B Classic hosted by Southern Illinois with games versus DePaul and Saint Louis.
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2021 MAC Softball Preseason Poll
Kent State – 106 (7)
Miami – 94 (2)
Ball State - 88Â (1)
Ohio - 76
Central Michigan - 66
Northern Illinois - 60
Toledo – 51
Bowling Green - 50
Western Michigan - 36
Buffalo - 19
Akron – 13
(*) First Place Votes
Note: One coach abstained from voting
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The Cardinals, who earned 88 total points and picked up one first-place vote, trailed only Kent State (106 points / 7 first-place votes) and Miami (94 points / 2 first-place votes) in the voting.
Â
New for this season, the MAC's regular season champion will earn the league's automatic berth into the 2021 NCAA Regionals.
Â
Rounding out the regular season poll were Ohio (76 points), Central Michigan (66), Northern Illinois (60), Toledo (51), Bowling Green (50), Western Michigan (36), Buffalo (19) and Akron (13).
Â
Ball State returns nearly its entire team from the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season, including all five seniors who were set to graduate. New to the squad, however, is first-year head coach Lacy Wood who will look to guide the program to its sixth MAC regular season title.
Â
During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Cardinals tallied an 18-9 overall record, the third-best through 27 games in program history. The team's 18 wins were six more than any other team in the MAC, and Ball State was the top-ranked team in the only release of the 2020 NCAA RPI.
Â
The 2020 squad tied a program record with an 11-game winning streak and led the MAC in 12 team statistical categories and 13 individual statistical categories. The two biggest, Ball State led the MAC in both batting average (.304) and team ERA (2.22).
Â
The Ball State softball team is scheduled to open the 2021 season Feb. 26 at the Coach B Classic hosted by Southern Illinois with games versus DePaul and Saint Louis.
Â
2021 MAC Softball Preseason Poll
Kent State – 106 (7)
Miami – 94 (2)
Ball State - 88Â (1)
Ohio - 76
Central Michigan - 66
Northern Illinois - 60
Toledo – 51
Bowling Green - 50
Western Michigan - 36
Buffalo - 19
Akron – 13
(*) First Place Votes
Note: One coach abstained from voting
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