Kandi Wieberg

The Missouri S&T softball team, a few months removed from its first appearance ever at the NCAA Division II Tournament, has been picked to finish third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference for the upcoming 2008 season.

The Lady Miners, who finished third in both the regular season race and conference tournament a year ago in the GLVC, were picked behind only defending NCAA Division II champion Southern Illinois Edwardsville and Lewis, the two teams that finished ahead of them in the league standings last season.

The Lady Miners split two games with SIUE and won three of four from Lewis a year ago, including a victory in the opening round of the NCAA Great Lakes Regional.

S&T was 29-18 a year ago and returns a large portion of that team, including All-America second baseman Kandi Wieberg, the GLVC's "Player of the Year" in 2007, all-region outfielder Emily Tucker and honorable mention all-GLVC pitcher Jen O'Hara.

The Lady Miners will open the 2008 season Feb. 22 at the Charger Chillout in Huntsville, Ala., against Alabama-Huntsville. S&T's first GLVC contest will take place March 14 at Drury.

2008 GLVC Pre-Season Softball Poll
1. Southern Illinois Edwardsville
2. Lewis
3. Missouri S&T
4. Southern Indiana
5. Quincy
6. Wisconsin-Parkside
7. (tie) Northern Kentucky
7. (tie) Saint Joseph's
9. Indianapolis
10. Missouri-St. Louis
11. Kentucky Wesleyan
12. Bellarmine
13. Drury
14. Rockhurst