ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis softball team has been tabbed for a 10th-place finish during the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference season in the annual GLVC Softball Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's 15 head coaches.
Indianapolis, the defending GLVC champion, was selected as the GLVC favorite, earning 189 points and 11 first-place votes. Drury was tabbed to finish second with 170 points including two first-place votes. McKendree received 166 points and a first-place vote and was followed by Lewis who picked up 159 points and the final first-place vote.
Illinois Springfield led the next grouping as it was picked to finish fifth with 143 points followed by Maryville with 140 points and Missouri S&T edged out Truman State and Rockhurst for seventh with 107 points. Truman State picked up 104 points while Rockhurst got 103 points.
UMSL received 86 points and was followed by Southwest Baptist, Lincoln, William Jewell, Upper Iowa and Quincy.
The Tritons went 19-26 in 2025, including 12-16 in the GLVC. They're under the direction of third-year head coach
Chelsey Mulligan. Among their returners are seniors
Jamie Widule and
Ashley Borowitz. Widule was a third team All-GLVC selection last season. She started every game hitting .347 with nine doubles, a triple and 22 RBIs while stealing six bases. Borowitz was a second team All-GLVC selection in 2024. She went 10-10 in the circle last season tossing 16 complete games and had five shutouts. Borowitz struck out 116 hitters in 143 innings pitched.
UMSL opens its 2026 season this Friday at the Lone Star College Classic in Mansfield, Texas. The Tritons take on Minnesota State-Moorehead in their season opener on Friday at 12:15 p.m. followed by a game against Texas-Dallas at 2:30 p.m.
The Conference will host the 2026 GLVC Championship Tournament May 6-9 at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.
The complete 2026 GLVC Softball Coaches Preseason Poll follows.
2026 GLVC SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-Place Votes) |
| 1. |
Indianapolis |
189 (11) |
| 2. |
Drury |
170 (2) |
| 3. |
McKendree |
166 (1) |
| 4. |
Lewis |
159 (1) |
| 5. |
Illinois Springfield |
143 |
| 6. |
Maryville |
140 |
| 7. |
Missouri S&T |
107 |
| 8. |
Truman State |
104 |
| 9. |
Rockhurst |
103 |
| 10. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
86 |
| 11. |
Southwest Baptist |
62 |
| T12. |
Lincoln |
43 |
| T12. |
William Jewell |
43 |
| 14 |
Upper Iowa |
34 |
| 15 |
Quincy |
26 |
