Grand Valley State earns top spot in 2024 GLIAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll

Posted: Jan 31, 2024

GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) revealed the 2024 softball preseason poll Wednesday, as voted on by the league coaches.

Grand Valley State was narrowly selected the conference favorite, accruing 34 points while earning four first-place votes. A year ago, the Lakers won 48 games, captured the GLIAC regular season crown and then went on a postseason run that saw them advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship series.

Finishing close behind GVSU in the preseason poll is Saginaw Valley State. Voted to place second, the two-time defending GLIAC Tournament champions received 33 total points and three first-place votes.

Purdue Northwest, which notched 33 wins in 2023, including 15 in GLIAC play, ranked third in the poll with 25 points.

Positioned fourth in the poll is Ferris State, collecting 22 total points. The Bulldogs posted a .500 record in conference action last season, going 11-11.

Parkside, which rode a hot streak to the GLIAC Tournament title game as the sixth seed in 2023, was fifth in the poll with 12 points.

Davenport (6th, 11 points) and Wayne State (7th, 10 points) rounded out the 2024 preseason rankings.