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Softball receives votes in USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Preseason Poll
Jan. 23, 2008
By Kyle Herm
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Following a fifth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and a 41-win season a year ago, the 2008 Southern Illinois Softball team received recognition in the first preseason poll released on Wednesday. The Salukis earned seven points in the other's receiving votes section of The USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll, and it is the third-straight year SIU has received votes in the preseason poll. The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by NCAA Division I coaches representing each conference. Arizona, which has claimed back-to-back national championships, earned the top spot with 721 points, and 27 of 29 first-place votes. Texas A&M, Arizona State, Alabama and Oklahoma round out the rest of the top five. Southern Illinois is one of three teams in the Missouri Valley Conference to receive votes, with 2007 NCAA Tournament participants, Creighton and Illinois State, both tallying 23. The Salukis will host both Creighton and Illinois State during the season, with the Bluejays coming to Charlotte West Stadium April 19-20, and the Redbirds March 29-30. Three of the Salukis 2008 opponents placed in the top 25. SIU is scheduled to take on No. 7 Northwestern on March 2 at home for the Coach B Southern Classic, and will face No. 11 Hawaii on March 6, and No. 15 Washington on March 8 at the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii. Southern Illinois will also take on Mississippi State, who was also in the other's receiving votes section with 16, on Feb. 15 and Feb. 17 at the Bulldog Round Robin. SIU is set to begin the 2008 campaign Feb. 8-10 at the Jacksonville University Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla. The Salukis will take on North Carolina-Greensboro to begin the tournament at 10 a.m. on Feb. 8. |
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