As the Hillsdale College softball program prepares to kick off the 2024 season in a few weeks, the Chargers will enter for the first time as the favorites to bring home the G-MAC regular season crown.
The Chargers were picked at the top of the 2024 G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, released this afternoon. It's the first time since joining the G-MAC for the 2018 campaign that the Chargers have been picked first in the preseason poll.
Although this is their first time entering the season as the favorite, Hillsdale has had plenty of success in the G-MAC over six previous seasons in the conference, winning three G-MAC Tournament titles, a 2022 regular season title, and making four trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament in that span. The Chargers took second in the regular season in 2023 and won the G-MAC Tournament crown last season, and return all but one player from that squad for 2024, including consensus All-American and G-MAC Pitcher of the Year Joni Russell, as well as fellow All-G-MAC honorees Erin Kapteyn, McKenna Eichholz, and Hannah Hoverman.
Last year, Russell and Kapteyn led a staff that combined for a G-MAC record 1.71 ERA in 2023, and pitching figures to be a strength again for the Chargers, along with a solid defense. If Hillsdale can find more consistency offensively from a talented lineup that is significantly more experienced entering 2023, with hitters like Grace Wallner, Emma Sather, Tayor Lewis, Emma Vis and Maggie Olaveson entering their second season as starters, the Chargers will not only be a tough opponent to deal with in conference play but could make noise in the Midwest Regional as a whole. Seniors like Eichholz, Kapteyn and fourth-year starting shortstop Hailey Holtman will look to lead the Chargers to one of the best seasons in program history.
While the Chargers were tabbed as the favorites in the preseason, they'll have a tough road to claim the crown in what's been one of the most competitive conferences top-to-bottom in the Midwest Region the past few seasons. 2021 champion Trevecca Nazarene and 2023 champion Ohio Dominican are each returning their ace pitcher and significant portions of their lineup in 2024 and also received first place votes in the poll, while fourth-place Findlay and fifth-place Tiffin each bring back their top pitcher from 2023 and several important bats as well. Competitive teams from Northwood, Cedarville and Ashland also are almost certain to make an impact on the race, while conference newcomer Thomas More has a long history of success at the NCAA DIII and NAIA levels and could factor in as well.
You can find the full poll below, and see Hillsdale College's 2024 softball schedule here. Hillsdale opens the season on Feb. 10, 2024 in Greenville, Tennessee with a single game against Tusculum, and the Chargers' first home appearance will be a doubleheader against Kentucky Wesleyan on March 29, 2024.
2024 GREAT MIDWEST SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Hillsdale, 175 points (6 first place votes)
2. Trevecca Nazarene, 168 points (6)
3. Ohio Dominican, 165 points (2)
4. Findlay, 146 points
5. Tiffin, 127 points
T6. Northwood, 117 points
T6. Cedarville, 117 points
8. Ashland, 100 points
9. Walsh, 86 points
10. Malone, 64 points
11. Thomas More, 63 points
12. Lake Erie, 51 points
13. Kentucky Wesleyan, 48 points
14. Ursuline, 43 points