ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris softball team was selected fourth in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, announced on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Head coach Heather Pennie-Roy enters her 28th season at the reins.
 
The Cougars finished the 2025 season with an overall record of 16–24 and placed fourth in the UMAC with a 9–9 conference mark. Minnesota Morris returns UMAC All-Conference First Team student-athlete Alyssa Thornton and UMAC All-Defensive Team outfielder Olivia Losee. Thornton led the UMAC with a .409 batting average in 2025 and posted a 3.53 ERA. Losee recorded 67 putouts and two assists while holding a .972 fielding percentage.
 
The Cougars open their season on Feb. 21 in Mankato, Minn., with a doubleheader. Action begins at 6 p.m. against St. Catherine University, followed by an 8:30 p.m. matchup with Gustavus Adolphus College.
 
2026 UMAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
 

Place	School	Points
1	Bethany Lutheran (5)	35
2	UW-Superior (2)	32
3	Northwestern	26
4	Minnesota Morris	19
5	Crown	18
6	North Central	9
7	Martin Luther	8