BAY CITY, Mich. - The head softball coaches of
the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) chose
Ferris State University to win the league's 2009
championship.
Ferris State, a participant in the 2008 NCAA Division II Softball
Championships, received six of nine possible first-place votes and
tallied 78 points. The Bulldogs edged out Wayne State University,
who received two first place votes and tallied 72 points. Ferris
earned the No. 2 seed in the 2008 GLIAC Tournament after tying for
the league's best regular season record (16-4). The Bulldogs
finished in a tie for fifth at the NCAA Championships in their
third appearance.
Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State University each received two
first place votes to finish second and third with 72 points and 67
points, respectively. Wayne State was the No. 1 seed in the 2008
GLIAC tournament and finished runner-up when is lost to Saginaw
Valley in the championship game. Ferris State, Wayne State, and
Saginaw Valley State all advanced to the 2008 Great Lakes Regional
Tournament.
Grand Valley State University recorded 55 points to place fourth
in the polls. Ashland University sits in fifth place with a total
of 53 points.
Northwood University placed sixth in the poll with 37 points. In
its first full season in the GLIAC, Tiffin University finished
seventh, having recorded 29 points. Hillsdale College placed eighth
in the poll with 25 points, while the University of Findlay tallied
20 points and finished ninth. Lake Superior State University
rounded out the poll in tenth place with a total of 14 points.
Each of the GLIAC's ten head coaches ranked the teams in the
conference, but were not allowed to rank their own team. The
first-place team on each ballot received nine points, while the
second-place team received eight points, etc.
Saginaw Valley State University will look to build upon their
extremely successful 2008 season in which they captured their first
GLIAC Title since 1990 and made their first appearance in the NCAA
Regional's since 2000. The Cardinals will return almost every
starter from last seasons squad; including reining GLIAC Player of
the Year Stacy Kraatz. The Cardinals will also boast a lineup that
returns seven of nine starters from the end of the 2008 campaign
and will also welcome back former starting catcher Jessica Anhel
behind the plate after missing most of last season. SVSU is going
to look to attack teams this year with strong pitching, as they
return all three starting pitchers from last season. Sophomore Jade
Fulton will look to improve on a season in which she broke a saves
record that had stood at University Center for over 26 seasons.
The 2009 GLIAC postseason softball tournament is slated for May
1-3 in Midland, Mich. All games will be played at Emerson Park.
Saginaw Valley opens their conference portion of their schedule on
March 25, when they host Lake Superior State University.
