2023 GPAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
SEWARD, Neb. – With the season fast approaching, the conference released the 2023 GPAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll on Thursday (Jan. 26). The Concordia University Softball team was pegged eighth and received 53 points in the poll. The preseason placement comes after the Bulldogs tied for sixth place in 2022 when they finished the campaign at 23-24 overall (10-12 GPAC). Head Coach Brock Culler steps into the head coaching role, a post he was named to this past June.
Concordia returns First Team All-GPAC outfielder Caitlyn McGarvie and honorable mention all-conference honoree Zoie Isom from the 2022 team. The Lincoln North Star High School product McGarvie hit .390 with a .483 on-base percentage last season. In addition, sophomore Kylie Shottenkirk will carry momentum into this season after she went a perfect 8-for-8 at the 2022 GPAC tournament. The Bulldogs will be replacing a couple of all-conference players in Camry Moore and Kylee Nixon.
In the history of Concordia Softball, the program has won four combined GPAC championships: 2005 regular season, 2007 postseason, 2008 regular season and 2015 postseason. The Bulldogs have reached the national tournament as recently as the 2021 season.
The season is slated to open the weekend of Feb. 18-19 with an appearance at the Kansas City NAIA Softball Invite. Concordia will play four opponents over those two dates.
2023 GPAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
--First-place votes in parentheses
1. Midland – 119 (10)
2. Northwestern – 102 (2)
3. Morningside – 93
4. Jamestown – 80
5. Mount Marty – 78
6. Dordt – 73
7. Doane – 58
8. Concordia – 53
9. College of Saint Mary – 48
10. Briar Cliff – 37
11. Hastings – 32
12. Dakota Wesleyan – 19