Nowhere To Go But Up

MIAC softball preview courtesy of Matt Higgins and the MIAC office

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The 2015 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) softball season just began, and while all 12 teams are certainly hoping for successful campaigns, the first goal is to accomplish something much simpler that hasn't happened since 2012. The MIAC is hopeful 2015 will finally be the spring when each and every team completes its 22-game conference schedule.

Fortunately, last season (2014) was much better than the 2013 campaign, that saw nearly every team fall short of its full schedule thanks to Mother Nature's prolonged winter. The 2014 schedule was again less than ideal, but this time nine of the MIAC's 12 teams played all 22 games while only three conference doubleheaders weren't completed.

In those 22 games, the University of St. Thomas was nearly unbeatable as Head Coach John Tschida and his club used a 21-1 MIAC record (44-9 overall) to capture a fifth-straight conference championship. The title also was UST's milestone 20th overall MIAC softball crown. The Tommies doubled up in early May as they claimed the MIAC Playoff championship as well, and in the 11-year history of the event no team other than St. Thomas has won the MIAC's postseason title. The team went on to reach the NCAA Division III Softball World Series, where it finished third in the nation.

Gustavus (24-15) overall was again the No. 1 challenger to the Tommies with a second-place finish and a 17-5 record. Saint Benedict (28-11 overall, 15-7 MIAC) edged Bethel (25-18 overall, 14-8 MIAC) for third place by a single game, and both completed the four-team MIAC Playoff field. The Royals reached the postseason championship game for the second-straight season.

Hamline (18-17-1 overall, 12-8 MIAC) finished fifth and Saint Mary's (14-18 overall) and Carleton (12-25 overall) tied for sixth place with identical 10-12 conference records. Macalester (20-20 overall, 8-14 MIAC) was .500 overall and alone in eighth with Augsburg (10-30 overall, 7-15 MIAC) tied for ninth with St. Olaf (7-25 overall, 7-15 MIAC). St. Catherine (8-25 overall, 5-15 MIAC) and Concordia (7-28 overall, 2-16 MIAC) rounded out the final spots in the 2014 standings.

This season, St. Thomas certainly has some stars back but will need to replace a few longtime contributors in order to claim a sixth-straight MIAC championship. Gustavus, Bethel and Saint Benedict all bring back strong team and have the Tommies in their sights, and the rest of the MIAC also feels good about their improvements and postseason outlook as the season begins. As long as Mother Nature continues to be a little more cooperative, MIAC softball fans should be in for a heck of a season in 2015.

COACHES' POLL HAS TOMMIES BACK ON TOP
In the eyes of the coaches, St. Thomas remains a heavy favorite to capture the MIAC championship in 2015 as the Tommies were the unanimous No. 1 team in the 2015 MIAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Tschida's club received 11 first-place votes and 121 points in the poll, which didn't allow coaches to vote for their own team. Gustavus is again tabbed as St. Thomas' top contender, as the Gusties received the other first-place vote, and ranked second with 109 total points.

The coaches also predict the four-team Playoff bracket to feature the same participants, but in a little different order. Bethel also hit triple digits with an even 100 points to rank third in the poll, and Saint Benedict was fourth with a total of 88. Hamline (78) edged Saint Mary's (72) for fifth, and both should also be in Playoff contention this season. Carleton claimed seventh place over St. Catherine by a single point, 54-53, with Macalester close behind in ninth with 47 points. St. Olaf (30), Augsburg (29) and Concordia (11) rounded out the final three spots in the preseason predictions.

WHAT'S NEW?
There are a couple significant changes in MIAC softball this season, starting with a few tweaks to the MIAC Playoffs. The tournament moves from a two-day event to a three-day schedule, with games to be played on Friday, May 1, Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3. The tournament will also be a high-seed host event, with the conference regular-season champion also earning the right to host the entire MIAC Playoff tournament. If the No. 1 cannot host, No. 2 will be offered the chance to host and so on. The MIAC will also use three umpires for all seven (or six) Playoff games in 2015.

The coaches also put a new rescheduling policy in place in an attempt to combat Mother Nature's cruel recent history, so there is a more structured plan for the inevitable make-up games. Each postponement must be rescheduled within 14 days of the original date, and if continued inclement weather pushes it beyond the 14-day window, the doubleheader will be played on the next available date.

The other change in the conference comes at Bethel, where Penny Foore replaces Rod Radcliffe as the Royals' head coach. Foore was most recently an assistant at Division I Appalachian State, and has strong coaching ties to the area as former high school head coach in the Twin Cities. Radcliffe departed Bethel for an assistant coaching position at Division I Toledo.

Tschida is the longest-tenured MIAC coach as he begins his 21st season, followed by Carleton's Amy Erickson (18th season), St. Olaf's Ruthie Nueger (11th season) and Gustavus' Jeff Annis (10th season). Augsburg's Tim Gormely and Saint Mary's Jen Miller both begin season No. 9 and Hamline's Jim Rubbelke is in his seventh season with the Pipers. Macalester's Jody Gabriel is starting season No. 4 with the Scots, Saint Benedict's Rachael Click and Concordia's Mike Reese each begin their third season, and it's the second season for St. Catherine's Colleen Powers.

WHO TO WATCH FOR
Most teams would struggle to contend after graduating a pair of All-Americans and other All-Conference players, but St. Thomas softball always seems to reload. Lineup mainstays Emily Gregory and Jenna Hoffman headline the Tommie losses to graduation, but they're still in great shape thanks largely to the return of Kendra Bowe, who has been named the MIAC Pitcher-of-the-Year in each of her first three seasons. All-MIAC outfielder Bianca Peterson is also among the returning talent back for Tschida's team.

Gustavus brings back nearly all its lineup intact, starting with All-MIAC and All-Region infielder Shelby Nosan, who hit .460 a year ago, and pitcher Hannah Heacox who tossed a no-hitter in the MIAC Playoffs and was named the conference's Rookie-of-the-Year. Senior infielder Carly Klass also returns with a pair of All-MIAC honors already to her credit.

Foore's debut season leading the Royals features a lot of returning talent in her lineup. 2013 MIAC Player-of-the-Year and two-time All-American Angie Jackson is back at shortstop, and she's joined by two other All-MIAC honorees - 1B/P Kelsey Anderson and catcher Caroline Kivisto - in the heart of the Bethel lineup.

Saint Benedict will have to replace 2014 MIAC Player-of-the-Year Lexi Alm in the outfield, but the Blazers are excited about the returning talent in the infield. All-Region and All-MIAC shortstop Kim Lidstone has been one of the MIAC's top hitters over her first two seasons, and senior Mackenzie Wenner is also back in the infield after hitting .313 and earning Honorable Mention honors in 2014.

Hamline will be led by All-MIAC shortstop Jamie Rubbelke, the head coach's daughter, who hit .418 a year ago, and sophomore 2B Mary-Claire Couillard and catcher Katie Koren also return for the Pipers. Saint Mary's has two-time All-MIAC selection Alex Raske back in the infield, and Kathi Opsahl and Ashley Betzold are also back after earning All-MIAC Honorable Mention status last season.

Carleton lost four-time All-MIAC honoree Jenny Ramey to graduation, but bring back All-Conference pitcher Keelin Davis at the top of the rotation, and Honorable Mention 1B/P Micaela LaRose, who hit a team-best .327 last season. St. Catherine graduated one of the most decorated players in team history in four-time All-MIAC outfielder Alyssa Luedtke, but has high hopes for the return of All-MIAC HM infielder Jessi Tyminski (.326 last season) and junior pitcher Rachael Thompson.

Macalester is excited about the return of All-MIAC star shortstop Sasa Wilson, who had 61 hits and hit .421 a year ago, and All-MIAC P/OF Miranda Stokes and catcher Nikki Caicedo also return. St. Olaf's hopes hinge on the return of two juniors - 3B Becca Walz (.347) and IF Alex Lebens (6 HR, 18 RBI) and sophomore OF Brooke Paradise.

Augsburg has a ton of talent back in the outfield, led by seniors Linsay Helbach and Bekka Kelly and sophomore Lauren Torborg, who was an All-MIAC Honorable Mention pick as a rookie. Concordia brings back its entire team nearly intact, with seniors Ashley Tibbetts (IF) and Hillary Rotunda (P) and sophomore Madison Little (OF) hoping to lead the Cobbers upward in the standings in 2015.

CIRCLE THESE DATES
The 2015 MIAC softball season is already under way, as teams could begin playing on Feb. 1. Thus far, there are only a handful of games in the books, but things will really ramp up this weekend and into March. Conference play is scheduled to begin Wednesday, March 25, with the regular season running through Tuesday, April 28. The new-look MIAC Playoffs will take place May 1-3, with the NCAA Tournament to follow.

The full MIAC schedule will feature a number of crucial doubleheaders throughout the season. One of the most anticipated could very well decide the MIAC title as the top two teams in the Coaches' Poll square off on April 14 at 3:30 p.m. when Gustavus visits St. Thomas. The other two returning Playoff teams, Bethel and Saint Benedict, will meet on the Royals' home field in a key series on April 8 at 3:30 p.m.

Hamline and Saint Mary's both hope to return to the postseason in 2015, and their head-to-head doubleheader will be huge for both teams. They'll meet  April 18 at 1 p.m. Carleton and St. Olaf will square off in their key rivalry doubleheader the same day, as the Knights host the cross-town rival Oles.

Macalester and St. Catherine will meet in a big St. Paul rivalry series that will be huge for a pair of teams that hope to be on the rise. The Wildcats will host the Scots on April 25 at 1 p.m. to close the regular season. And Augsburg and Concordia will meet in the season opener, April 2 at 3:30 p.m., as both teams will be looking to get off to a good start and ascend towards postseason contention in 2015.

2015 MIAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll

Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own team. Points were assigned for each vote (11 for first, 10 for second, etc.) Teams are ranked in order of highest point total to lowest with vote totals listed and first-place votes shown in parentheses.

2015 MIAC Softball Playoffs

The 2015 MIAC Softball Playoffs received a face lift in the offseason, and the tournament will have a few new details this season. Instead of a neutral site, the four-team, double-elimination MIAC Playoffs will be hosted by the top seed. If the No. 1 seed is unable to host, the right to host will be offered to No. 2, No. 3 and then No. 4. Also, the tournament has expanded from two to three days. This year's tournament will be held May 1-3. There will be two games on Friday, May 1, three on Saturday, May 2, and up to two title games on Sunday, May 3. The winner will receive the MIAC's automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament.