Sioux City, Iowa – Morningside totaled 114 points and is the preseason coaches’ selection to win the 2021 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Softball Championship. The Mustangs tallied six first place votes. Concordia was picked second with 110 points and three first place votes, while Jamestown was third with 99 points.
The 2020 season was not completed due to Covid-19, but in 2019 Morningside and Midland were the co-champions in the league with both teams going 18-4 in league play. Morningside was 30-13 overall, while Midland went 31-11. Morningside won the conference tournament by taking two of three games from Jamestown in the best of three final. Morningside and Midland both advanced to the 2019 NAIA Softball National Opening Round.
The GPAC Postseason Tournament will feature two four-team tournaments (Seeds 1,4,5,8 and Seeds 2,3,6,7) (double elimination) on May 5-6 (Wednesday/Thursday) at the sites of the top two seeds. Then the two tournament winners will play on Saturday, May 8, in the Cypress Risk Management GPAC Championship (three game series) at the highest remaining seed.
Points were awarded on an 11-1 basis and coaches could not vote for their own team and was completed prior to games.
Here is the complete 2021 GPAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll:
1. Morningside (114), 6 first place votes
2. Concordia (110), 3 first place votes
3. Jamestown (99)
4. Midland (90), 2 first place votes
5. Northwestern (83), 1first place vote
6. Mount Marty (67)
7. Dordt (63)
8. Doane (46)
9. Briar Cliff (44)
10. College of Saint Mary (28)
11. Hastings (28)
12. Dakota Wesleyan (21)
