NIACC softball team ranked No. 24

NIACC's Izzy Sloan delivers a pitch in a game last season.

January 21, 2025

MASON CITY - The NIACC softball team is ranked No. 24 in the NJCAA Division II preseason poll released on Tuesday.

St. Johns River State College is ranked No. 1 and Kirkwood is ranked No. 2. DMACC is ranked ninth in the preseason poll.

The Trojans were ranked in four polls during the 2024 season. They were No. 14 in the preseason poll, 15th in the Feb. 26 poll, 19th in the April 22 poll and 20th in the April 29 poll.

NIACC, which was 33-23 overall and 20-8 in the ICCAC last season, returns five players from last year's squad (Madisyn Bauer, Thea Mattson, Kaitlin Blair, Macy Kellar and Izzy Sloan).

Sloan was a first-team all-region selection as a pitcher. Bauer was an honorable mention all-region pick as an infielder and Kellar was an honorable mention all-region selection as a pitcher.

NIACC opens its season Feb. 14 against Crowder College and Neosho County CC in Branson, Mo.

NJCAA Division II preseason poll (Jan. 21, 2025) - St. Johns River State College, Kirkwood, Murray State College, Jones College, Louisburg College, Copiah-Lincoln CC, Johnson County CC, Rock Valley College, DMACC, Phoenix College, Pearl River CC, LSU-Eunice, Danville Area CC, Central Alabama CC, Pima CC, Marion Military Institute, Bryant & Stratton (Va.), St. Louis CC, Kansas City Kansas CC, Bryant & Stratton (Wis.), Parkland College, Kankakee CC, Lansing CC, NIACC, South Mountain CC.