INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. | Great Lakes Valley Conference - McKendree University softball (3-1) has been tabbed to finish third in the conference for the 2025 season, as announced by the league this afternoon. The Bearcats kicked off the season last weekend at the Music City Invitational, defeating Ohio Dominican, Ashland, and Cedarville while dropping one contest to No.17 Trevecca Nazarene. Overall in the 2025 preseason coaches poll, McKendree tallied 166 points with one first place vote after earning the fourth seed in the 2024 GLVC Tournament with a 16-10 mark in the conference and 36-22 overall record. The Bearcats jump back into non-conference action on February 7 and 8 at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic with four games, facing Arkansas Tech, Harding, Missouri Southern, and East Central.
2025 GLVC Softball Preseason Poll
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-Place Votes) |
| 1. |
Indianapolis |
192 (11) |
| 2. |
Lewis |
183 (3) |
| 3. |
McKendree |
166 (1) |
| 4. |
Drury |
160 |
| 5. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
141 |
| 6. |
Maryville |
120 |
| 7. |
Illinois Springfield |
115 |
| 8. |
Truman State |
106 |
| 9. |
Missouri S&T |
104 |
| 10. |
Rockhurst |
92 |
| 11. |
Southwest Baptist |
56 |
| 12. |
Upper Iowa |
45 |
| 13. |
William Jewell |
44 |
| 14. |
Quincy |
30 |
| 15. |
Lincoln |
21 |
Notes
Lauren Harris, the 2024 NFCA NCAA DII National Player of the Year, NCAA DII D2CCA Player of the Year, Back-to-Back GLVC Player of the Year, First Team All-American, D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year, First Team All-Region, and First Team All-GLVC selection, returns for the Bearcats, looking to build upon an already stellar career.
Head Coach
Heather Tarter enters her fourth season at the helm, owning a 85-62 record over the first three campaigns with back-to-back GLVC Tournament appearances. Tarter reloaded going into this season with an impressive freshman and transfer class.
Following the first weekend of play, junior outfielder
Laynee Tapp, a transfer from Crowder, earned GLVC Player of the Week. She recorded a slash of .667/.778/.833 while totaling four RBIs, two runs, one double, and a steal.
UP NEXT | Alvy Early Memorial Classic - Bentonville, Arkansas | Watch
February 7 | 11:00AM vs. Arkansas Tech
February 7 | 1:30PM vs. Harding
February 8 | 11:00AM vs. Missouri Southern
February 8 | 1:30PM vs. East Central
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