Minnesota Duluth is picked to finish second in the NSIC according to the preseason coaches' poll released Thursday.
Defending conference champion Minnesota State-Mankato was picked to win the conference with 225 points and 15 first-place votes, followed by UMD with 194 points and the remaining first-place vote. Winona State (191 points), Augustana (187) and Sioux Falls (163) round out the top five.
UMD (36-16 overall, 21-7 NSIC) finished second in the league last year in Jen Walter's first season as coach and advanced to the NCAA Division II Central Region tournament. The Bulldogs return five starters, including junior second baseman Natalie Wright and junior pitcher Sam Hartmann, listed by the NSIC as players to watch in 2017.
UMD set program records for conference wins (21), stolen bases (112) and attempts (133). Junior Hannah Schmoll of Grand Rapids broke the Bulldogs' record with 40 stolen bases in a season.
