WAYNE – As another spring sports program in just a couple weeks away from the start to their season, the Wayne State College softball team found out their preseason rankings.
According to a release from the Wayne State Athletics office, the Wildcat softball team was voted 16th in the 2020 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll with 28 points. Junior third baseman Ashley Hernandez and sophomore pitcher Makenna Adkison were tabbed as Wildcat players to watch in the NSIC this season.
The Wildcats return four starters in the field along with two starting pitchers from last year’s team that was 15-32 overall and placed 15th in the NSIC with a 6-24 league mark.
Augustana, the defending NCAA Division II National Champion, was listed as the team to beat in the NSIC this season receiving 223 points and 13 first place votes. Winona State followed in second place at 213 points and the remaining three first place votes. Rounding out the top five teams are Minnesota State (186), Minnesota Duluth (180) and St. Cloud State (180).
Concordia St. Paul was sixth with 152 points followed by Minot State (129), Sioux Falls (126), Northern State (105) and Southwest Minnesota State (99) closing out the top 10 teams.
Hernandez, a 5-4 junior third baseman from Omaha (Millard North HS), was selected as the Wildcat Position Player to Watch this season. Hernandez is the top returning hitter from last season with a .283 average while posting a team high 13 doubles. She also had two homers with 20 RBIs and tied for second on the team with 10 multi-hit games.
Adkison, a 5-4 sophomore right hander from Gilbert, Arizona (Perry HS), was tabbed the Wildcat Pitcher to Watch this season after throwing a team high 116 innings last season. She recorded a 5-14 record with seven complete games, two shutouts and two saves in the circle with a 5.55 ERA and a team high 51 strikeouts.
The Wayne State College softball team is scheduled to open their 2020 season on Friday, February 14 at the Arkansas Monticello/8-State Classic in Bentonville, Arkansas playing Henderson State (Ark.) and Southwest Baptist.