Feb. 6, 2008
ST. LOUIS -
Nine months removed from one of the best seasons in program history, the Illinois State softball team received some incentive to continue the program's recent run of success, as the Redbirds were tabbed as the preseason No. 4 team in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, as voted on by the league's head softball coaches and announced by The Valley office Wednesday. For the second-straight year, Illinois State had two players named to the preseason All-Valley Team, as junior Jessie Buker (outfield) and sophomore Kara Nelson (third base) represented the Redbirds on the preseason team.
After being picked as the preseason Valley favorite prior to the 2007 season, Illinois State earned the No. 4 spot on the 2008 preseason poll with 72 points. The Redbirds return 11 letterwinners and six starters from a squad that went 44-17-1 (18-7-1 MVC) in 2007 en route to its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Redbirds set numerous school and Valley single-season records in 2007, including runs scored (329), home runs (83) and runs batted in (308).
"Being selected fourth gives us an indication of how people in the conference view our returning players because that selection is a reflection of their strengths," Illinois State head softball coach Melinda Fischer said. "It also means that people are aware that we have very little experience in the circle."
Creighton, last season's MVC regular-season and tournament champion, was the overwhelming favorite in the 2008 Valley race. The Bluejays received nine-of-10 first-place votes and 97 out of a possible 100 points. Next in line was Wichita State, which received one first-place vote and 85 points. Southern Illinois (81 points), Illinois State (72) and Missouri State (52) rounded out the top-five in the preseason poll, while Bradley (46), Evansville (44), Indiana State (35), Drake (25) and Northern Iowa (13) finished sixth through tenth, respectively.
Nelson earned her first-ever preseason All-Valley honor after she became just the second player in Illinois State softball history to earn multiple all-America honors in the same season (Easton First Team and NFCA/Louisville Slugger Second Team). The Moline, Ill., native was an All-Missouri Valley Conference First-Team selection last season after she set ISU single-season records for hits in a season (90) and runs scored (59), and led The Valley in batting average (.415).
Nelson received an additional honor Jan. 30, as she was named to the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Initial Top-50 Watch List for the 2008 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award is widely regarded as the most prestigious award in collegiate softball.
"Kara certainly deserves her selection to the preseason All-Valley team after the season she had in 2007," Fischer said. "What she does for our offense when she is on really gets us going. We're looking for Kara to go out and have the year that she is capable of having."
Buker was also a first-time preseason All-Valley selection. The 2007 All-Valley First-Team honoree had a breakout season in 2007 after she hit .322 with a team-high 16 home runs and a team second-best 51 RBI. Buker's 2007 batting average was nearly 100 points higher than what she hit in 2006 (.227), while she more than tripled her RBI output (16 in 2006).
"I think Jessie's selection to the preseason All-Valley team will be a spark to her for this season," Fischer said. "She's the most versatile athlete on our team in terms of defensive positioning, and I look for her to have another strong season."
Illinois State will open its 2008 season Friday at the Central Florida Tournament in Orlando. The Redbirds are slated to take on Central Arkansas at 10:30 a.m. CST from the UCF Softball Complex.
