Morningside College, champions of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Tournament in 2012, is the coaches' choice to win the 2013 GPAC softball title. The Mustangs totaled 95 points and seven first place votes in the preseason poll.
Morningside posted a 28-21 record last spring while posting a 13-9 record in the GPAC. Northwestern is picked second with 91 points and two first place votes. Doane and Midland were picked third and fourth with 76 and 70 points respectively and both with one first place vote.
Northwestern, 33-13 overall, won the regular season conference title with a record of 16-2. The GPAC softball season will consist of 20 games (10 doubleheaders) and conclude with the GPAC Postseason Tournament on May 2-4 at the SYA Complex in Sioux City, IA.
Points were assigned on a 10-1 basis and coaches' could not vote for their own team.
Here is the complete GPAC Softball 2013 preseason coaches' poll:
Team | Points | First Place Votes |
1. Morningside | 95 | 7 |
2. Northwestern | 91 | 2 |
3. Doane | 76 | 1 |
4. Midland | 70 | 1 |
5. Concordia | 61 | |
6. Dordt | 59 | |
7. Hastings | 44 | |
8. Dakota Wesleyan | 40 | |
9. Nebraska Wesleyan | 38 | |
10. Briar Cliff | 17 | |
11. Mount Marty | 14 |
Photo from Dr. Gene Knudsen - Tri-statesportphotos.com
| Northwestern at | 17th of 28 |
| NAIA Championship - Final Round (Creekside Golf Club) | |
| Northwestern at | 17th of 28 |
| NAIA Championship - 3rd Round (Creekside Golf Club) | |
| Northwestern at | 9th of 28 |
| NAIA Championship - 2nd Round (Creekside Golf Club) | |
| Northwestern at | 6th of 28 |
| NAIA Championship - 1st Round (Creekside Golf Club) | |
| (RV) Central Methodist College vs | 9 |
| (RV) Morningside | 4 |
| NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round (Claremore, Okla.) (Elimination Game) | |
| Hastings at | 2 |
| (17) Freed-Hardeman | 9 |
| NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round | |
| Doane vs | 0 |
| (10) Concordia University | 9 |
| NAIA National Championships | |
| (13) Concordia University vs | 8 |
| (25) Nebraska Wesleyan | 1 |
| NAIA National Championship (Mobile, Ala.) | |
| Hastings vs | 1 |
| (4) Oklahoma City University | 6 |
| NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round | |
| (6) Williams Baptist College vs | (5) | 17 |
| (RV) Morningside | 2 | |
| NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round (Claremore, Okla.) | ||
| (23) Univ of Science and Arts of Oklahoma vs | 5 |
| (RV) Northwestern | 4 |
| NAIA Baseball Opening Round (Oklahoma City, Okla.) | |
| Midland vs | 2 |
| Bellevue University | 7 |
| NAIA Baseball Opening Round (Elimination Game) | |
| Hastings at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight | |
| Concordia | |
| Concordia Twilight Meet | |
| Doane at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight | |
| Briar Cliff at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight (Seward, NE) | |
| Briar Cliff at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight (Seward, NE) | |
| Concordia | |
| Concordia Twilight Meet | |
| Doane at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight | |
| Hastings at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight | |
| Doane | |
| NAIA Championship - 1st Round (Wilderness Ridge GC) | |
| Doane | |
| NAIA Championship - 2nd Round (Wilderness Ridge GC) | |
| Doane | |
| NAIA Championship - 3rd Round (Wilderness Ridge GC) | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
| Hastings at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Northwestern at | 10:00am |
| @ NAIA Outdoor National Championships | |
| Briar Cliff at | 10:00am |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships (Marion, IN - May 23-25) | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
| Briar Cliff at | 10:00am |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships (Marion, IN - May 23-25) | |
| Northwestern at | 10:00am |
| @ NAIA Outdoor National Championships | |
| Doane | |
| NAIA Championship - Final Round (Wilderness Ridge GC) | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
| Northwestern at | 10:30am |
| @ NAIA Outdoor National Championships | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
| Northwestern at | 10:30am |
| @ NAIA Outdoor National Championships | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
