The defending NSIC Tournament Champions of Winona State University were the top pick in the 2015 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches’ Poll.
This marks the second year in a row that the Warriors were the top pick in the league after sharing the honor with Minnesota State last season. This also marks the fifth time since 2004 the Warriors have been the preseason pick. WSU amassed 213 points and five first place votes after going 48-9 last season, including a 23-3 mark in the NSIC while making an appearance in the NCAA Central Region Tournament.
Minnesota State and Augustana tied for second in the poll with 209 points, with the Vikings picking up six first place votes and the Mavericks five. The Mavericks are the reigning NSIC regular season champions, while Augustana advanced all the way to the NCAA Central Super Region Championship game. Wayne State had 166 points to rank fourth while Minnesota Duluth’s 162 points had them coming in fifth in the poll.
The preseason coaches’ poll is based off each coach ranking each team from 15 to 1 with the top team receiving 15 points, second 14, third 13, etc.
The 2015 NSIC Softball season gets underway on February 12 while the 30-game NSIC schedule is set to begin on Tuesday, March 24.
The 2015 NSIC / US Bank Softball Tournament will consist of the top ten teams in the NSIC final standings competing in a double elimination format on April 30 through May 2 at Sherman Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.
| 2015 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll | ||
| 1 | Winona State (5) | 213 |
| 2 | Augustana (6) | 209 |
| Minnesota State (5) | 209 | |
| 4 | Wayne State | 166 |
| 5 | Minnesota Duluth | 162 |
| 6 | Sioux Falls | 150 |
| 7 | Minot State | 137 |
| 8 | U-Mary | 126 |
| 9 | Concordia-St. Paul | 120 |
| 10 | Upper Iowa | 115 |
| 11 | Southwest Minnesota State | 75 |
| 12 | St. Cloud State | 73 |
| 13 | Northern State | 68 |
| 14 | MSU Moorhead | 50 |
| 15 | Minnesota Crookston | 24 |
| 16 | Bemidji State | 23 |
| First place votes in ( ) / (Previous Preseason Polls) | ||
