The Northwest Missouri State University softball team will get its 2022 season underway at the Portolite & Field Turf MSU Invitational Softball Tournament Feb. 4-6 in Mankato, Minn.
 
The Bearcats will play five games over three days in the Maverick All-Sports Dome. Northwest's season opener is set for Friday, Feb. 4, at 4 p.m. against Minnesota State. The Bearcats will also take on Southwest Minnesota State Friday at 6:30 p.m.
 
Saturday will bring action against Concordia-St. Paul (9 a.m.) and Minnesota-Duluth (11:30 a.m.)
 
Northwest will wrap up play Sunday with a single game against Minnesota-Duluth at 11:30 a.m.
 
Friday, Feb. 4
Northwest Missouri State at Minnesota State, 4 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
Northwest Missouri State vs. Southwest Minnesota State, 6:30 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Feb. 5
Northwest Missouri State vs. Concordia-St. Paul, 9 a.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
Northwest Missouri State vs. Minnesota-Duluth, 11:30 a.m. | LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, Feb. 6
Northwest Missouri State vs. Minnesota-Duluth, 11:30 a.m. | LIVE STATS
 
The Bearcats will be under the direction of first-year head coach Naomi Tellez. For the first time in 689 games, Northwest will be led by a new head coach after Ryan Anderson stepped away from the program he had administered since the 2007 season.
 
Tellez (pronounced TAY-ez) served as the pitching coach at the University of North Dakota for the previous three seasons. The Fighting Hawks lowered their team earned run average for the second straight season under Tellez's direction. The 2021 squad produced a 3.63 ERA, which ranked third-best in the Summit League.
 
Tellez inherited a Bearcat program that produced a mark of 18-22 overall and 12-14 MIAA in the 2021 season. Northwest is three years removed from its last winning season that came in 2018 when the Bearcats went 27-19 overall and 16-10 in the MIAA.
 
Junior outfielder Olivia Daugherty (Kansas City, Mo./Liberty North HS) is the top returning hitter for the Bearcats as she started in all 40 games in 2021. Daugherty hit .351 with 47 hits and 34 runs scored last season. She led the team in doubles (12). She ranked second on the squad in RBI (36). Daugherty delivered 10 multi-RBI games a season ago.
 
Junior shortstop Hannah Blackford (Des Moines, Iowa/Hoover HS/Southeastern Louisiana) is the only other returnee back that hit better than .300 last season. Blackford hit .329 as she made 39 starts for the Bearcats last year. She ranked third on the team with 47 hits. Blackford also swiped three bases in three attempts.
 
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Breck Dickey (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley HS) is the most-experienced returning pitcher on the staff. Dickey pitched 114 2/3 innings last season with a mark of 7-9. She struck out a team-best 85 batters.

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The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its 2022 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. Defending MIAA champions Central Oklahoma tabbed the top spot in the poll for the third consecutive season.  
 
The Bronchos were picked first in the preseason coaches poll with 162 points and eight first-place votes. The Bronchos won their second consecutive MIAA Regular Season championship in 2021 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Central Region Championship.
 
Defending MIAA Tournament champions Central Missouri finished second in the poll with 158 points and the remaining six first-place votes. The Jennies 2021 season also ended in the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament. Rogers State finished third with 142 points while Missouri Southern came in fourth with 124 points. Missouri Western rounded out the top-five with 118 points.
 
Just one point behind the Griffons in sixth was Washburn with 117 points. Northeastern State came in seventh with 86 points and Fort Hays State finished eighth with 85 points. Emporia State was ninth with 73 points while Pittsburg State finished in the 10^th spot with 64 points.
 
Northwest Missouri was picked 11^th, Nebraska Kearney finished 12^th, Newman came in 13^th and Lincoln concluded the poll in 14^th.
 
The 2022 softball season begins Tuesday, February 1 with MIAA doubleheaders set to begin on Friday, March 11. 
 
2022 MIAA Softball Preseason Poll
1. Central Oklahoma (8) – 162
2. Central Missouri (6) - 158
3. Rogers State – 142 
4. Missouri Southern – 124 
5. Missouri Western – 118 
6. Washburn – 117 
7. Northeastern State – 86 
8. Fort Hays State – 85 
9. Emporia State – 73 
10. Pittsburg State – 64 
11. Northwest Missouri – 58 
12. Nebraska Kearney – 47 
13. Newman – 25 
14. Lincoln – 15