The Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) released coaches' polls for three of the league's spring sports. AU is well-represented in each of the polls, as the Spartan softball team was picked first, the baseball team was selected in a tie for second and the men's tennis team was selected to finish fifth.
The Spartan softball team was picked first by the league's coaches with 150 points and eight of the possible 13 first-place votes; a 2010 NAC Championship would be a fourth consecutive for the Spartans. Lakeland College was second in the poll with 132 points and one first-place vote, Benedictine University was third with 124 points and no first-place votes while Dominican University was fourth with 122 points and two first-place votes. AU was 31-7 last season and has captured the first three NAC championships in softball. The Spartans return two-time NAC Pitcher of the Year senior
Anna Snyder, as well as All-Conference selections
Briana Martin (senior catcher),
Jessica Scott (junior utility) and
Shannon Starr (junior outfielder).
LINK TO THE OFFICIAL NAC RELEASE
The AU baseball team was selected second in a tie in the baseball coache
s' poll with 124 points and two first-place votes. Rockford College, winner of two of the first three Northern Athletics Conference titles, has been chosen to win the 2010 NAC baseball championship, according to the preseason coaches' poll. Rockford received five of the 12 first place votes for 131 poll points. Concordia University Chicago was picked with the Spartans to finish second in the poll with 124 points and four first-place votes. AU finished 29-13 and 16-6 in the NAC (third-place) last season and finished second in the NAC tournament. AU returns NAC Pitcher of the Year, senior
Concordia University Wisconsin is the coaches' pick to win the 2010 NAC men's tennis title, according to the preseason poll. Concordia has won the first three NAC championships, tallied six of nine first-place votes for 77 poll points. Milwaukee School of Engineering was picked second with 75 points and the remaining three first-place votes. The Spartans were picked fifth with 38 points. LINK TO THE OFFICIAL NAC RELEASE
