CLEVELAND, Ohio – According to a poll of Horizon League head coaches, the Cleveland State University softball team has been selected to finish eighth in the league in the 2020 season.

UIC, which garnered seven first-place votes, was picked as the league's preseason favorite. Detroit Mercy followed in second, while collecting a first-place tally, while Northern Kentucky and Youngstown State tied for third, with the Norse earning the final first-place vote.

Oakland, IUPUI, Wright State, Cleveland State and Green Bay rounded out the poll.

Cleveland State will be under the direction of second-year head coach Amy Kyler after she led the squad to a three-win improvement in Horizon League play in her first year at the helm.

Senior Kelly Hysong, an All-Horizon League selection, is back to lead the Vikings after a standout junior season. She ranked second in the league in home runs (12) and doubles (16) and was third in the circuit in slugging percentage (.646) and total bases (115). Hysong finished the season with a team-leading .331 batting average and also topped the team with 30 RBIs.

Hysong and sophomore Hanna Griffin combined to start 45 of CSU's 49 games in the circle last year. Hysong posted a 3.92 ERA in 146.1 innings while Griffin managed a 4.44 ERA in 142 innings in her first season as a collegian.

Aly Packish and Lindsay Ward both return for the Vikings after tallying at least 30 hits, 13 RBI and 10 walks in their freshman campaigns last year.

Cleveland State will open the 2020 season next weekend as it plays five games across three days at Incarnate Word's Cardinal Invitational event.

2020 Horizon League Softball Preseason Poll
Pl.       Team - Points (First-Place Votes)
1.         UIC – 79 (7)
2.         Detroit Mercy – 61 (1)
T3.       Northern Kentucky – 56 (1)
T3.       Youngstown State – 56
5.         Oakland – 52
6.         IUPUI – 42
7.         Wright State – 28
8.         Cleveland State – 22
9.         Green Bay – 9