KANSAS CITY, MO. (Nov. 2, 2022) – Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) has been No. 15 in the 2023 NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll that was released today.

The Saints closed out the 2022 season ranked No. 15 in the 2022 NAIA Softball Coaches Top 25 Postseason Poll. The team's historic season featured two wins in the opening round of the NAIA National Championships.

The Saints were No. 17 in the poll on May 2 after debuting at No. 25 earlier in the season. The Saints had received votes since the first season of competition in 2010. Their most votes were 21 during that first year. In 2012, the Saints received 20 votes, and in 2013, the most votes they received was 44. In the following year, the Saints received 57 votes in 2014, and in 2015, the most votes the Saints received was 88. In 2016, the team received 10 votes. The last time the Saints received votes was in 2018, with 80 votes.

The Saints are the only Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) team included in the preseason poll. Texas A&M University-Texarkana, which made nationals, but lost two of three games in the opening round, received 64 votes in the preseason poll.

In the RRAC poll, OLLU is first followed by Texarkana, the University of Houston-Victoria, Louisiana Christian University, LSU-Alexandria, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, Xavier University of Louisiana, Huston-Tillotson University, Jarvis Christian University, the University of the Southwest and Texas College.

The Saints return their entire starting lineup including: Cassandra Valdez – RRAC Pitcher and Player of the Year/NAIA All-American; Madison Nunn – RRAC Defensive Player of the Year; Rebecca Duran – RRAC Newcomer of the Year;  Ariel Montgomery – All-Conference; Kayla Dresse – All-Conference; Joanna Gonzalez – All-Conference; Caitlin Terrazas – All-Conference; Julissa Moreno – All-Tournament; and Angela Ramirez – All-Tournament. Other returners include Kristee Salas, Taylor Gage, Hannah Garza, Deandra Vera, Jennifer Estrada, Marissa Bradley, Kaili Luna and Eneli Garza. They will be led by reigning RRAC Coach of the Year Bruce Lenington, who returns for his fourth season.

Poll Methodology

• The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Continental Athletic Conference (Independents).
• The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place and so on through the list.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team's ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appear on.
• Teams that receive only one point on the ballot are not considered "receiving votes"
• The frequency of the polls is bi-weekly. This policy was approved by the National Administrative Council (NAC) prior to the 2016-17 academic season. This change allows raters the opportunity to consider a larger body of work between rating periods.
• For the complete Top 25 calendar, click here.

2023 NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 PRESEASON Poll (Nov. 2, 2022)

Dropped from the Top 25: Madonna (Mich.), Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)

Others Receiving Votes: Ottawa (Kan.) 79, Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 67, Texas A&M Texarkana 64, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 64, Bellevue (Neb.) 56, Cottey (Mo.) 35, Aquinas (Mich.) 31, St. Mary of the Woods (Ind.) 22, Mount Mercy (Iowa) 14, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 10, Vanguard (Calif.) 8, Friends (Kan.) 4, Oklahoma Panhandle State 3, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 3, Rio Grande (Ohio) 3.