SCIAC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. – The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) announced the 2023 softball preseason coaches' poll with Chapman University predicted to win the SCIAC title in 2023 over the two-time defending regular-season SCIAC Champion University of Redlands Bulldogs who sit in second place.

The Bulldogs received 50 points, 11 points behind the Panthers and five points ahead of third place University of La Verne. Chapman holds six of the eight first place votes with one going to the Bulldogs and the other to fourth place Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

In two of the three full seasons under head coach Jose Ortega, the Bulldogs have won the regular season title and in 2021 they were the SCIAC Tournament champions. The back-to-back titles are the first since 2012 and 2013. Overall, in parts of four seasons, Ortega has led Redlands to a 65-49 overall record and a 43-27 SCIAC mark, and he and his staff have earned the last two SCIAC Coaching Staff of the Year awards.

Ortega and his coaching staff will lean on two returning All-SCIAC members in Paige Messenlehner (Easton, CA) and Kalyn Kershner (Ewa Beach, HI) for their offensive production. They also return Kassidy Long (Hemet, CA) in the circle as she will lead the pitching staff where she is the only returning player.

The Bulldogs begin their season against Pacific Lutheran University in a neutral site game on Saturday, February 11 with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m.

For more information on the 2023 season, read the preview.