INDIANAPOLIS - On Wednesday, the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) released the 2026 Coaches' Poll for softball. The Peacocks were picked to finish 14th and received 34 points. 

Upper Iowa was eight votes ahead of Quincy (Ill.) in 15th. Lincoln (Mo.) and William Jewell (Mo.) were tied for 12th, nine points ahead of UIU. 

UIndy was voted first with 189 points and 11 first-place votes. Drury (Mo.) took second with 170 points and two first-place votes. McKendree (Ill.) was voted third with 166 points and one first-place vote. Fourth-place Lewis (Ill.) was the only other team to finish with a first-place vote. 

Indianapolis heads into the season as the reigning GLVC Tournament Champion. Lewis and Drury each earned a share of the 2025 regular-season title. 

Dorothy Ziebell returns as the Peacocks' top batter, taking the plate 118 times, slashing .280/.306/.373 last season. She had 16 runs batted in, eight doubles and one home run last season. Addyson Alber also returns after taking the plate 183 times, slashing .254/.293/.326. The junior had a team-high 10 doubles and 11 RBIs. 

Sara Reid returns for her senior campaign. She had eight wins on the mound last season. The Central City native pitched 142.1 innings and recorded a team-best 107 strikeouts. 

UIU starts the 2026 season with the Branson Lead-Off Classic on Sunday and Monday. The Peacocks face Newman (Kan.), Arkansas Tech, Arkansas Monticello and Northwest Oklahoma. Upper Iowa's first home doubleheader is scheduled for March. 14 against No. 22 UIndy.

FULL POLL