ST. LOUIS – On Wednesday, the Missouri Valley Conference released its 2017 Preseason Softball Poll.  With a solid nucleus of players returning from last year's 24-win squad, the University of Evansville was picked to finish sixth in the league.
 
"Honestly, preseason polls and rankings are fun but do not mean much.  We know as a team what we have to do and where we want to be," Purple Aces head coach Mat Mundell said.  "Now that the season is here, it is time to go to work.  When it comes to polls and rankings, our focus is more on where we are at the end of the season."
 
The MVC also released its preseason first team, which featured UE sophomore Morgan Florey.  Florey, who is the defending MVC Freshman of the Year, finished third in the MVC with a 1.95 ERA and went 16-11 in the circle.  She was also the top power hitter on the team, leading UE with 8 home runs and 26 RBI.
 
Also coming back for the Aces is 2-time All-MVC First Teamer Chandra Parr.  The senior was a strong hitter in 2016, batting .306 with 23 RBIs.
 
With six first-place votes, Drake was picked to win the league, just ahead of Wichita State, who received three of the top votes.  Southern Illinois was chosen third with UNI and Illinois State rounding out the top five.  The full poll and preseason squad is below.
 
Rank      Team (1st-place votes)   Points
1              Drake (6)                          92
2              Wichita State (3)               88
3              Southern Illinois                82
4              UNI (1)                             68
5              Illinois State                     54
6              Evansville                         53
T7           Missouri State                   34
                Bradley                            34
9              Indiana State                    28
10           Loyola                               14
 
Player, Team                                          Pos.     Yr.                                                                    
Shaye Harre, Southern Illinois             1B       Sr.                                                                     
Kassie Brown, Indiana State                 2B       Sr.                                                                    
Taryn Pena, Drake                                   3B    Soph.                                                            
Mackenzie Wright, Wichita State       3B       Jr.                                                                     
Riley Strandgard, Illinois State             SS        Jr.                                                                     
Jordan de los Reyes, Illinois State       C        Sr.                                                                    
Morgan Florey, Evansville                  UT/P  Soph.                                                                 
Macklin Hitz, Wichita State          DP/UT-NP Sr.                                                                   
Kennedy Frank, Drake                           OF    Soph.                                                                 
Erica Nagel, Loyola                                 OF       Sr.                                                                    
Kelly Kapp, Bradley                                OF       Sr.                                                                    
Nicole Newman, Drake                           P         Jr.                                                                     
Brianna Jones, Southern Illinois         P       Soph.                
 

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