MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- Four-time defending league champion Concordia University Wisconsin has been declared the favorite to capture the 2024 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) softball crown according to the annual preseason poll released Thursday.
Concordia Wisconsin secured 18 of 26 first-place votes and posted 321 points in the poll, which consists of votes from the league's head softball coaches and athletics communications professionals. The Falcons finished 40-5 overall and a perfect 23-0 in league play, winning the 2023 NACC Softball Tournament to advance to the NCAA tournament. CUW swept its way through a regional hosted by UW-Oshkosh but were sidelined by Trine University in a super regional in Angola, Indiana.
Aurora University (281 points; 1 first-place vote) edged Milwaukee School of Engineering (280 points; 2 first-place votes) and Dominican University (277 points; 4 first-place votes) for second place, while Benedictine University was fifth with 251 points and the final first-place vote.
Marian University placed sixth with 209 points, followed by Edgewood College with 173. Lakeland University edged Concordia University Chicago, 142-139, for eighth place and the final presumptive NACC tournament qualification slot.
St. Norbert College (115), Wisconsin Lutheran College (80), Rockford University (64), and Alverno College (36) round out the poll.
National Polls: Concordia Wisconsin was 23rd in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 Preseason Poll released earlier this month.
New Coaches: There are two new coaches in the NACC this season.
Siera Spahiu assumes control of the MSOE program on an interim basis for the 2024 season. She previously served as an assistant for the program.
At Rockford,
Annaka Bartz has been named the ninth head coach in program history. Bartz has been a part of the RU softball program as a coach or a player for the past five seasons, and the Regents have seen a remarkable turnaround during that time. Bartz spent her first three years at Rockford as the team's starting shortstop, helping lead the Regents to their first NACC Tournament berth before transitioning into an assistant coaching role beginning with the 2022 season.
2023 Schedule: Edgewood will be the first NACC program to take the field when the Eagles face UW-Stevens Point and UW-Platteville on Thursday evening (Feb. 22) in Peoria, Illinois.
Concordia Wisconsin and Lakeland follow with games over the weekend as the Falcons open with doubleheaders against Lawrence and UW-La Crosse at the Hodag Dome in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and the Muskies make the short trip to UW-Oshkosh for a doubleheader.
Season Openers
Edgewood: Today (Feb. 22) vs. UW-Stevens Point & UW-Platteville @ Peoria, Ill.
Concordia Wisconsin: Friday (Feb. 23) vs. Lawrence (DH) @ Rhinelander, Wis.
Lakeland: Saturday (Feb. 24) at UW-Oshkosh (DH)
Alverno: Monday (Feb. 26) vs St. Thomas, Fla. (DH) @ Fort Myers, Fla.
Wisconsin Lutheran: March 1 vs. UW-Stevens Point (DH) at Rhinelander, Wis.
Benedictine: March 1 vs Dubuque/Eastern (Pa.) @ Clermont, Fla.
Dominican: March 2 vs Thomas (Maine)/Ursinus @ Winter Haven, Fla.
Rockford: March 2 vs SUNY Potsdam/Bethany (W.Va.) @ Fort Myers, Fla.
Concordia Chicago: March 3 vs Defiance/Emmanuel @ Kissimmee, Fla.
Aurora: March 3 vs Carlow/Simmons @ Kissimmee, Fla.
Marian: March 3 vs Westminster (Pa.)/Regis (Mass.) @ Clermont, Fla.
St. Norbert: March 10 vs UW-Stout/North Park @ Clermont, Fla.
MSOE: March 11 vs Wesleyan (Conn.)/Susquehanna @ Leesburg, Fla.
The NACC portion of the slate begins the weekend of March 22-24. Rockford and Wisconsin Lutheran kick things off with a doubleheader at Rockford on Friday, March 22, while the majority of the league gets underway the following day (March 23) with five doubleheaders --- Lakeland at Aurora, MSOE at Concordia Chicago, Concordia Wisconsin at Benedictine, Edgewood at Alverno, and St. Norbert at Dominican. The final NACC program - Marian - begins league play at St. Norbert on Sunday, March 24, as part of a slate featuring six NACC doubleheaders.
The final date of regular-season play is Sunday, May 5.
NACC Tournament: The top eight teams in the final standings qualify for the 2024 NACC Softball Tournament. The double-elimination tournament is slated for Thursday-Sunday, May 9-12 at Bedrosian Stadium in Montgomery, Illinois. Aurora University is the tournament host. The tournament champion receives the NACC's automatic berth in the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.
2024 NACC Softball Preseason Poll
| School |
Points |
| Concordia Wisconsin (18) |
321 |
| Aurora (1) |
281 |
| MSOE (2) |
280 |
| Dominican (4) |
277 |
| Benedictine (1) |
251 |
| Marian |
207 |
| Edgewood |
173 |
| Lakeland |
142 |
| Concordia Chicago |
139 |
| St. Norbert |
115 |
| Wisconsin Lutheran |
80 |
| Rockford |
64 |
| Alverno |
36 |
First-place votes in parentheses