WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Marietta College softball team was selected to finish second in the Ohio Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released Friday (Feb. 6) morning by the league office.
 
The Pioneers finished the 2025 season with an overall record of 20-15-1 and 6-10 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, narrowly missing out a spot in the postseason.

"Landing fourth in the OAC preseason is a respectful place for our team, but not where we can be comfortable," said Marietta head softball coach Jenn Castle. "Our OAC opponents are so strong, and every doubleheader is a fight to the last out."
 
Mount Union repeated as OAC tournament champions last year and is the preseason favorite to win the league championship this season. The Purple Raiders received six first place votes and 61 total points. Baldwin Wallace received 54 points in the poll, including two first place votes, good for second place 

Muskingum received the final first place and fell just one point short, receiving third place in the poll.  The Pioneers collected 34 points, placing them fourth in the poll.  Ohio Northern rounded out the top five collecting 32 points.

Capital (31 points) was sixth with Wilmington (24 points) at seventh. Heidelberg sits in eighth (22 points) and Otterbein is ninth with 12 points.
 
Marietta opens the season in Melbourne, Florida on their Spring Break trip.  On Saturday (Mar. 7), the Pioneers open up with the University of Wisconsin-Superior at 10 a.m. and then Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at 2:30 p.m. Marietta will play a total of 12 games in Florida before returning home to host Otterbein University in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 21. First pitch on the newly installed turf at Marietta Field is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

"We are returning some key players this season who will have a year of playing experience under their belts," concluded Castle.  "We are looking towards them to step up even more this season and provide leadership to the team." 
 
The complete poll is below. First place votes are in parenthesis.
 
OAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll:
1. Mount Union (6) – 61 points
2. Baldwin Wallace (2) – 61  
3. Muskingum (1) – 53
4. Marietta  – 34
5. Ohio Northern – 32
6. Capital – 31
7. Wilmington – 24
8. Heidelberg – 22
9. Otterbein – 12