ISU softball picked to finish fifth in MVC, two picked for all-MVC team

Posted on January 27, 2016

Jordan de los Reyes. (Photo courtesy Jason Roberts)

By ISU Sports Information

NORMAL – The Illinois State softball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference in the league’s preseason poll, which was announced by the MVC Wednesday morning.

In addition, the Valley also announced the Preseason All-MVC Team and the Redbirds placed a pair of juniors, Jordan de los Reyes and Annie Heineman, on the list.

ISU finished in seventh place in the Valley last season, with an overall record of 25-31. With five starters returning in 2016, the Redbirds garnered 70 points in the preseason poll. Wichita State (84 points) was picked to finish first while Missouri State (76) was picked second. The Bears claimed four first-place votes compared to the Shockers’ three. Northern Iowa (74) received one first-place vote and was picked third. Last season’s regular-season champion, Drake, was picked to finish fourth with a total of 72 points.

Rounding out the bottom half of the poll was Indiana State and Southern Illinois, with 55 points each, Bradley (32), Loyola (21) and Evansville (11).

De los Reyes and Heineman were both named to the 13-player Preseason All-MVC Team. De los Reyes was an All-MVC Second-Team choice in 2015 after hitting a league-high 18 home runs. She also led the team in RBIs (47), slugging percentage (.727), walks (34) and on-base percentage (.442). Her career total of 29 home runs already ranks her fifth in program history.

Heineman, an All-MVC First-Team choice last season, led ISU in batting average (.356), hits (64) and stolen bases (11). She also ranked eighth in the MVC in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, fourth in runs and hits and seventh in stolen bases.

The Redbirds open the 2016 season Feb. 12 at the USF-DeMarini Classic in Tampa, Florida. A full schedule is available on GoRedbirds.com.

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