2025 UMAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll and Season Preview

2/13/2025 10:00:00 AM

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released their 2025 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll on Thursday with the University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets predicted to win the regular season championship. The poll is voted on by all the head coaches in the conference.
 
2025 UMAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. UW-Superior | 46 (5)
2. Northwestern | 44 (2)
3. Bethany Lutheran | 36 (1)
4. Minnesota Morris | 34
5. Crown | 22
6. Martin Luther | 20
7. North Central | 15
8. Northland | 7
 
The 2025 UMAC Softball Tournament will be held Thursday-Saturday, May 8-10 with the No. 1 seed hosting all tournament games. The championship is a four-team double-elimination tournament. The tournament champion will receive the conference's automatic qualifying bid to the 2025 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.
 

#1: UW-Superior Yellowjackets (46 Points, 5 First-Place Votes)
 
The University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets led the preseason poll with 46 points and five first-place votes from their conference competitors. The Yellowjackets tied for third place in last year’s regular season with a 12-6 UMAC record while going 26-15 overall.

The Yellowjackets entered the 2024 UMAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed. UW-Superior defeated Minnesota Morris 6-4 in their opening game of the tournament. The Yellowjackets then faced Bethany Lutheran twice, defeating the Vikings 5-4 and then 6-5 to clinch the UMAC Tournament Championship.
 
UW-Superior went on to compete in the NCAA Regional; their third in four seasons and their sixth in program history. The Yellowjackets fell 10-2 to the Central College Dutch and then 10-3 to the Bethel University Royals in the double-elimination regional tournament.
 
Head Coach:
  • Melissa Fracker | 5th Season
Top Returners:
  • MyKenzie Leccia, Jr., UTL
    • 2024 All-UMAC First Team
    • FLD% | .365 BA, 42 RBIs, .643 SLG%
  • Ellie Macal, Sr., C/INF
    • 2024 All-UMAC HM
    • .376 BA, 23 RBIs, .505 SLG%
  • Zoe Thomson, Sr., C/INF
    • 2024 All-UMAC HM
    • .369 BA, 33 RBIs, .607 SLG%
       
 
#2: Northwestern Eagles (44 Points, 2 First-Place Votes)
 
The University of Northwestern Eagles placed second in the preseason poll with 44 points and two first-place votes. Last year, UNW went 22-17 overall with a 12-6 record in the UMAC to tie for third place in the conference.

Northwestern was the No. 4 seed in the 2024 UMAC Tournament. The Eagles fell 4-3 to Bethany Lutheran on day one of the tournament. On day two, UNW defeated Minnesota Morris 11-1 before falling 12-2 to Bethany Lutheran.

Head Coach:
  • Alicia du’Monceaux | 16th Season
Top Returners
  • Kate Beer, Sr, OF
    • 2024 First Team All-Conference, 3x UMAC All-Defense, 2023 Honorable Mention All-Conference, UMAC Player of the Week (3/26/24) | 2024 NCCAA First Team All-Region
    • 2024: .509 BA in UMAC Play, .375 Overall BA; Career: .340 BA, .409 OBP, 62 RBI, .975 Fielding %
  • Jadyn Iverson, Sr, 1B
    • 2x UMAC All-Defense, 2023 First Team All-Conference, 2022 Honorable Mention All-Conference, UMAC Player of the Week (3/12/24) | 2024 NCCAA Second Team All-American, 2x NCCAA All-Region
    • 2024: .440 BA, 37 RBI, .560 SLG%, .990 Fielding %; Career: .403 BA, 96 RBI, .519 SLG%, .980 Fielding %
  • Sydney Lane, Sr, OF
    • 2024 First Team All-Conference, 2x Honorable Mention All-Conference, UMAC Player of the Week (4/9/24) | 2024 NCCAA First Team All-Region, NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week (4/8/24)
    • 2024: .413 BA in UMAC Play, .341 Overall BA, 12 Doubles, 4 Triples, 2 HR, .553 SLG%; Career: .339 BA, 72 RBI, 104 Runs, 27 Doubles, 6 Triples
       
 
#3: Bethany Lutheran Vikings (36 Points, 1 First-Place Vote)
 
The Bethany Lutheran College Vikings took third in the preseason poll with 36 points and the final first-place vote. BLC won a share of last year’s regular season championship with a 15-3 UMAC record while going 29-14 overall.

As the No. 1 seed in the UMAC Tournament, BLC defeated Northwestern 4-3 before falling 5-4 and 6-5 to UW-Superior.

Head Coach:
  • Angela Dabu | 1st Season
Top Returners:
  • Kaija Mork, UTL
    • 1st Team AC | All-Region
    • .341 avg, 15 2B, 36 RBI
  • Emily Doyle, 1B/3B
    • 1st Team AC | All-Region
    • .336 avg, 15 2B, 57 RBI
  • Emily Meyer, P
    • 7-3, 58.2 IP, 2.51 ERA
       
 
#4: Minnesota Morris Cougars (34 Points)

The Minnesota Morris Cougars placed fourth in the preseason poll with 34 points. Last year, UMM won a share of the regular season championship with a 15-3 UMAC record while going 28-14 overall.
 
Minnesota Morris competed as the No. 2 seed in the 2024 UMAC Tournament. The Cougars fell 6-4 to UW-Superior and 11-1 to Northwestern.
 
Head Coach:
  •  Heather Pennie-Roy | 27th Season
Top Returners:
  • Mary Landherr, JR, Catcher/1B
    • 1st team All-Conf | Academic All Conf, CSC Academic All District
    • Finished 4th on OB%, 5th in BA, 6th in Hits in the UMAC 2024 season
  • Alyssa Thornton, So, P
    • 1st team All-Conf | Academic All Conf, 2nd Team NFCA All Region
    • 2nd in Wins, 3rd in K’s, 6th for Innings Pitched in the UMAC 2024 season
  • Sierra Stevens , Sr, OF
    • 1st team All-Conf, All Def Team | Academic All Conf, CSC Academic All District
    • 2nd in Runs, 5th in Hits, 6th in Stolen Bases in the UMAC 2024 season
       
 
#5: Crown Polars (22 Points)

The Crown College Polars placed fifth in the preseason poll with 22 points. Crown finished sixth in the UMAC last year with a 4-14 conference record and a 6-31 overall record.
 
Head Coach:
  • Taylor Jones | 1st Season
Top Returners:
  • Katie Vaughan, SO, C/3B
    • Honorable Mention all UMAC | NCCAA North Central All-Region Team
    • Batted .368, with 20 RBI, and 3 homeruns
  • Emmy Romportl, JR, P/OF
    • Honorable Mention all UMAC
    • Batted .316, pitched 104 innings, led the team striking out 56 batters
  • Sydney Gardner, SO, 1B/OF
    • Batted .309, with 21 RBI’s, and 3 homeruns
       

#6: Martin Luther Knights (20 Points)
 
The Martin Luther College Knights placed sixth in the preseason poll with 20 points. MLC finished fifth in the UMAC last year with a 5-13 UMAC record and a 7-25 overall record.
 
Head Coach:
  • Becca Kvam | 3rd Season
Top Returners:
  • Jess Horn, Senior, Pitcher
    • Led UMAC in Innings Pitched (170.2) and Complete Games (20)
  • Chloe Berg, Sophomore, 1B
    • 6th in UMAC in Batting Average (.404), 36 hits
  • Anna Busch, Senior, 3B
    • Batting Average (.259)

#7: North Central Rams (15 Points)
 
The North Central University Rams placed seventh in the preseason poll with 15 points. NCU finished seventh in the UMAC last year with an 0-18 UMAC record and a 3-33 overall record.
 
Head Coach:
  • Matt Haefner | 3rd Season
Top Returners:
  • Delaney Riddle, 3B
    • .320 Avg / .944 OPS / 19 RBI / .560 SLG %
  • Aurora Prettyman, C
    • .257 Avg / .671 OPS / 12 Runs / 8 RBI
  • Maggie Kohl, OF
    • .250 Avg / .709 OPS / 14 Runs / 11 RBI
  • Isabella Gallardo, SS
    • .225 Avg / 25 Runs / 2 Home Runs
       
 
#8: Northland LumberJills (7 Points)
 
The Northland College LumberJills placed eighth in the preseason poll with seven points. Northland finished last season 0-19 overall.
 
Head Coach:
  • Dana Wiezorek | 1st Season
Top Returners:
  • Kennedy Gruhlke, Sophomore, 1B
     

The UMAC is an NCAA Division III member comprised of eight full-time member schools from Minnesota and Wisconsin: Bethany Lutheran College, Crown College, Martin Luther College, North Central University, Northland College, University of Minnesota Morris, University of Northwestern, and University of Wisconsin-Superior.