Rio Grande (Ohio) the favorite in 2019 RSC Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- University of Rio Grande (Ohio) is this year's favorite in the 2019 River States Conference Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll. The RedStorm have won four straight RSC Tournament titles and are coming off a season of 35-13 overall and 16-2 RSC in 2018.
The RSC Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll was voted on by the league's 10 softball head coaches. Rio Grande was the unanimous favorite with all nine of the possible first-place votes. The RedStorm received 81 votes in the balloting.
Rio Grande won its fourth-straight conference title last year and moved on to the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round once again. The RedStorm ended the 2018 season ranked No. 24 in the NAIA Top 25.
IU Southeast was picked second in the preseason poll with 70 total votes and garnered the other first-place vote. The Grenadiers were 24-14 overall and 14-4 RSC last year for second place in the regular season.
Point Park (Pa.) University was chosen third in the poll with 60 votes. The Pioneers were 17-22 overall, 11-7 RSC and made it to the final three teams of the conference tournament in 2018.
Cincinnati Christian University was picked fourth in the poll witih 58 votes. The Eagles were 25-20, 9-9 RSC last year and made a run to the final four teams of the tournament.
WVU Tech came in fifth in the poll with 47 votes. The Golden Bears were 24-27, 10-8 RSC last season.
Midway (Ky.) University received 42 votes and was predicted sixth in the poll, which is the final playoff spot for this year. The Eagles were 23-22 overall, 11-7 RSC last year when they were RSC Tournament runner-up and an NAIA National Championship Opening Round qualifier.
Carlow (Pa.) University got 37 votes for seventh place coming off a record of 19-17 overall, 8-10 RSC. Ohio Christian University (17-23) received 22 votes for eighth place, Asbury (Ky.) University (14-20) received 18 votes for ninth place, and Brescia (Ky.) University (6-22) was 10th with 15 votes.
2019 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE SOFTBALL COACHES' PRESEASON POLL
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. Rio Grande (Ohio) (9) | 81 |
| 2. IU Southeast (1) | 70 |
| 3. Point Park (Pa.) | 60 |
| 4. Cincinnati Christian | 58 |
| 5. WVU Tech | 47 |
| 6. Midway (Ky.) | 42 |
| 7. Carlow (Pa.) | 37 |
| 8. Ohio Christian | 22 |
| 9. Asbury (Ky.) | 18 |
| 10. Brescia (Ky.) | 15 |