NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Bethany College softball team has been picked to finish sixth in the 2026 Presidents' Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Bison were picked ninth in last season's coaches poll and jumps three spots to sixth ahead of the 2029 season with 69 points. Taking home first place was the defending PAC hampion Westminster (Pa.) College) with 117 points and nine first-place votes. Geneva (Pa.) College also received two first-place votes and was predicted second with 108 points. Grove City (Pa.) College was picked third with 102 points while Allegheny (Pa.) College comes in fourth with 93 points and the final first-place vote. Waynesburg (Pa.) University sits just ahead of Bethany at fifth with 70 points.
Three players were named to the PAC Preseason Players to Watch list including junior third baseman
Emma Jackson (Allliance, Ohio/Marlington), sophomore catcher
Olivia Kidd (Akron, Ohio/Mogadore), and senior shortstop
Brooke Markland (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward).
Head Coach
Lexi Buck enters her first season as she returns 14 players including nine Academic All-PAC honorees and four All-PAC selections from last year's team that finished with an overall record of 26-13-1 and a 12-8 record in conference play.
2026 PAC Softball Preseason Poll
School - Points (First Place Votes)
1. Westminster - 117 (9)
2. Geneva - 108 (2)
3. Grove City - 102
4. Allegheny - 93 (1)
5. Waynesburg - 70
6. Bethany - 69
7. Hiram - 58
8. Washington & Jefferson - 51
9. Saint Vincent - 43
10. Thiel - 41
11. Chatham - 28
12. Franciscan - 12
The Bison open the 2026 season on Saturday, March 7 as they travel to Fort Myers, Florida to open the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic against the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at the Lee County Sports Complex.
