MIDDLETOWN, Ohio- The RedStorm of Rio Grande are the preseason favorites in the River States Conference in the sport of softball in 2025, as Rio Grande finished first in the 2025 RSC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The poll, announced Wednesday by the River States Conference office, saw each of the conference's nine head coaches rank the other member schools in order of predicted finish.

Rio Grande went 21-11 in RSC play last season, then caught fire in the month of May. The RedStorm won the RSC Tournament championship, sweeping their way through the bracket. Rio Grande qualified for the 2024 NAIA Softball Opening Round, earning one win during their time in the Indianapolis Bracket. The RedStorm have won 20 or more RSC games in each of the past four seasons.

Shawnee State, who went 23-9 in RSC play last season and claimed the East Division title, finished just one point behind Rio Grande and picked up three first place votes. St. Mary-of-the-Woods, who finished 24-8 in conference play last season, was picked third. IU Southeast, who earned the conference's other automatic bid to the national tournament following a 27-5 conference record in 2024, checked in at fourth.

Oakland City finished in the middle of the poll, with the coaches placing the Mighty Oaks fifth. In the bottom half of the poll, the coaches placed Midway sixth, IU Columbus seventh, WVU Tech eighth, and Rrescia ninth.

Although some teams play countable games during the fall season, the NAIA softball schedule begins in earnest on January 23. The first scheduled date of conference play of is scheduled for March 4, with the schedule gearing towards the 2025 River States Conference Softball Tournament, scheduled for May 1-4 at The Rock Sports Complex in South Charleston, West Virginia.

2025 RSC PRESEASON SOFTBALL COACHES' POLL
1. Rio Grande (60 points, 5 first place votes)
2. Shawnee State (59 points, 3 first place votes)
3. St. Mary-of-the-Woods (48 points)
4. IU Southeast (44 points, 1 first place votes)
5. Oakland City (36 points)
6. Midway (29 points)
7. IU Columbus (20 points)
8. WVU Tech (18 points)
9. Brescia (10 points)