Horizon League head coaches released their 2023 Softball preseason poll and have Robert Morris as the second favorite in the league in 2023.

POLL 🗳️: RMU Picked Second In @HorizonLeague Preseason Poll

🖱️: https://t.co/Z5VjsTZjK2
🗓️: https://t.co/IO5NrpgoTp
📱: https://t.co/lxq4zCjobF#BobbyMo | 🔵🥎🔴 | #RMUnite pic.twitter.com/dmDCRtFKeJ

— RMU Softball (@RMUSoftball) February 8, 2023

Earing the first-place honor in the preseason poll is the defending champion Oakland, which in the poll got eight first-place votes and a total of 77 points. Robert Morris however got one first-place vote and a total of 68 points as part of the preseason poll.

Returning for a fifth year is head coach Jexx Varner. With the return of the head coach, the Colonials also return five starters who appeared in the 2022 Horizon Championship Game.

Last season the Colonials had an overall record of 31-21 which included a record of 16-9 in Horizon League play. The 30-win marked the first time the Colonials were able to reach this mark since the 2013 season.

Among the player who is returning are five starters from the 2022 season. They are returning the infield in its entirety Avery Winchell (1B), Anna Resnik (2B), Charlotte Grover (SS), and Alaina Koutsogiani (3B). RMU will also be getting their catcher back as well Meadow Sacadura.

Catcher Meadow Sacadura earned a spot on the 2022 All-Horizon League Second Team and she also earned a spot on the 2022 All-Horizon League Freshman Team.

The Colonials also get a huge boost with the return of three of their five pitchers from the 2022 season. This list includes graduate student Dana Vatakis who was tied for a team-high in wins with eight. Also, with her wins, she was able to strike out a team-high 101 batters.

RMU will open up its 2023 season on Friday, Feb. 10, at 1 p.m. in Boiling Springs, N.C. against Austin Peay as part of the Runnin’ Bulldog Classic.