Sioux City, Iowa – Midland University totaled 114 votes and are the preseason coaches’ selection to win the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Softball Championship.
The Warriors tallied six first place votes. Midland advanced to the 2025 NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Georgia, and closed the season with a 40-18 record. Morningside, who went 35-19 last spring, was picked second with 110 votes and three first place votes. Northwestern was voted third with 108 votes and tallied three first place votes as well in the voting.
In 2025 Northwestern claimed the regular season conference championship. The Red Raiders went 20-2 in league play and 48-13 overall. Northwestern also won the conference tournament title, defeating Morningside two games to one in the best of three series.
The GPAC Postseason Tournament will feature two four-team tournaments (Seeds 1,4,5,8 and Seeds 2,3,6,7) (double elimination) on April 29-30 at the sites of the top two seeds. Then the two tournament winners will play on Saturday, May 2, in the GPAC Championship (best of 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.
Here is the complete 2026 GPAC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll:
| RANK | TEAM | VOTES | 1st Place Votes |
| 1 | MIDLAND | 114 | 6 |
| 2 | MORNINGSIDE | 110 | 3 |
| 3 | NORTHWESTERN | 108 | 3 |
| 4 | DORDT | 83 | |
| 5 | CONCORDIA | 79 | |
| 6 | DAKOTA WESLEYAN | 75 | |
| 7t | HASTINGS | 54 | |
| 7t | MOUNT MARTY | 54 | |
| 9 | DOANE | 52 | |
| 10 | COLLEGE OF SAINT MARY | 26 | |
| 11 | BRIAR CLIFF | 25 | |
| 12 | WALDORF | 12 |
