LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The Trine University softball team opens the 2021 season ranked 22nd by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top-25 coaches poll.
The Thunder received votes totaling 40 points in the first iteration of the rankings. East Texas Baptist University was the consensus first overall in the poll coming in with all eight first-place votes and 200 points.
Last season Trine reached as high as fourth in the rankings on their way to finishing the shortened year with a 7-3 overall record.
"This has to be one of the toughest preseason polls to do with so many unknowns for all the teams," said head coach Don Danklefsen, "It's still an honor to be included, but I expect a lot of change as teams figure themselves out over the first weeks of the season."
Despite the small sample size a few young standouts already made a name for themselves last season. Then freshman Amanda Prather (Indianapolis, Ind. / Roncalli) led the team offensively last season finishing with three home runs, 14 total hits and 14 runners batted in on a .424 batting average. Another standout freshman was Ellie Trine (Kokomo, Ind. / Kokomo) who came in second on the team with ten hits including three doubles.
The team will also return players with more experience under their belts. Ashley Swartout (Westfield, Ind. / Westfield) will return as a junior after finishing last season with ten hits, after following up a strong freshman campaign.
Mercede Daugherty (Watervilet, Mich. / Watervilet) returns for her senior campaign after tallying seven hits last season. She was named All-Region in 2019 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and led the team with 15 doubles.
Victoria Porter (Canton, Mich. / Canton) will also return to the lineup after a strong 2019 campaign where she was named second-team All-MIAA, finishing the regular season with a .414 batting average and 20 runners batted in.
"Offensively we are going to be very versatile and I expect us to be a much tougher out this year," continued Danklefsen, "And as far as pitching goes this is one of the deepest staffs we have ever had."
Anchoring that staff will be Hannah Kampmann (St. Paul, Minn. / Cretin Derham Hall) who returns for a final season after a staggering 2019 performance, where she was named MIAA Pitcher of the Year. Another anchor will be Anna Koeppl (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg) who turned in a strong start last season during her freshman campaign.
For the full NFCA Top-25 Poll view the official release.