Wolves Picked To Finish 8th In Preseason Poll

February 14, 2007
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Northern State softball team was picked to finish eighth in the 2007 Northern Sun Preseason Coaches' Poll, released today by the NSIC office.

The Wolves return six starters from the 2006 squad that finished 17-34 overall last season and went 3-11 in the NSIC, tied for sixth in the league. Jenna Drey (Burke, SD), a senior outfielder, and Christi Schulte (Sioux Falls, SD), a senior pitcher, were voted as NSU's top players to watch in 2007. Drey had 39 hits last season, was 6-of-9 in stolen bases, and recorded a fielding percentage of .962. Schulte pitched 100.2 innings with a 5-14 record in 2006, striking out 88 batters with an ERA of 4.45.

The defending NSIC regular season champions, Southwest Minnesota State, was voted by the league's coaches to once again take the conference title. Winona came in second after notching three votes for first place. Amanda Yurek of Concordia-St. Paul and Amanda Johnson of SMSU were picked as the NSIC Preseason Players of the Year. Yurek was the 2006 NSIC Player of the Year, batting .412 with 77 hits in 2006. Johnson was named NSIC Newcomer of the Year, NSIC Pitcher of the Year, and All-NSIC First Team in her rookie season. She racked up 298 strikeouts last year.

The Wolves open their season this weekend at the Husky Dome Classic, playing two games each on Saturday and Sunday.

Complete NSIC Release

2007 Preseason NSIC SB Coaches Poll

                                          Points

SW Minnesota State (7)          88
Winona State (3)                    84
Concordia-St. Paul                 69
MSU Moorhead                      66
Upper Iowa                            54         
University of Mary                  51         
Wayne State                          45         
Northern State                        36         
Bemidji State                         29
Minnesota, Crookston            18

First place votes in ( )

 

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