ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Illinois State softball was selected fourth in the annual Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches, the conference announced Thursday. Senior pitcher Hannah Meshnick also earned preseason All-MVC honorable mention recognition.
Reigning MVC Tournament Champion Belmont was picked as the league's preseason favorite, as the Bruins received 104 points and six first-place votes. Northern Iowa followed closely behind with 99 points and four first-place votes, while Southern Illinois rounded out the top three with 94 points. Illinois State received 77 points.
Meshnick started 22 games on the mound for the Redbirds in 2025, earning a career-high 78 strikeouts in 151.1 innings pitched. The Hortonville, Wisconsin, native earned her first All-Valley accolade during her junior campaign. Meshnick was the Redbirds' most consistent pitcher in the circle during conference play, going 9-3 with a 3.04 ERA in 19 appearances. She started 13 games in MVC play, going the distance five times with 94.1 total innings pitched (third in the MVC). Conference opponents hit just .258 against her, while her 55 strikeouts in league play ranked fifth overall, and her nine wins were fourth best in the MVC. She earned MVC Pitcher of the Week honors last February, not allowing an earned run in 14.1 innings pitched at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.
ON DECK
The Redbirds return to Tampa, Florida, to open the 2026 season at the University of South Florida Tournament with a contest against Bethune-Cookman at 11:15 a.m. CT on Feb. 5. The season-opening tournament for the Redbirds runs from Feb. 5-7 and also includes games against South Florida, Kansas, Florida and Michigan.
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