Panthers picked 2nd in GLVC preseason coaches’ poll

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—  The Drury softball team is picked to finish second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll released on Tuesday.
 
Indianapolis received 12 of 13 possible first-place votes, had 144 points in the poll, and is picked to win the league. The Panthers had 133 points and picked up a first-place vote for second place in the poll. Missouri-St. Louis received 117 points for third in the preseason rankings.
 
Last year, Drury went a school-record 37-17 overall and 21-7 in the GLVC. Their third-place finish in the league standings was tied for their best placement in program history under a single-division format in the conference. The Panthers received an at-large bid to the NCAA Midwest Regional as the fifth seed and reached the round of 32.
 
Head coach Jerry Breaux will begin his sixth season leading Drury’s program and his 30th year as a collegiate head coach. He has won more than 800 career games and has led the Panthers to their first postseason wins in team history. Breaux returns 16 letter winners from last year’s squad, including the GLVC Pitcher of the year Kristina Bettis, who was also a unanimous First-Team All-GLVC selection. Rylee Kolb, Lauren Beier, and Sydney Sneed also garnered All-GLVC nods last season.
 
Drury will open the 2023 season this weekend in the Mardi Gras Tournament. The Panthers will take on Union (Tenn.) and Southeastern Oklahoma State on Friday. Drury will face Southern Arkansas and Delta State on Saturday, then conclude the event against Mississippi College on Sunday.
 
Complete GLVC preseason poll

 
 
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