INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced its 2026 softball preseason poll on Wednesday, Jan. 28. Drury was voted to finish second by the league's coaches.
 
The Panthers earned 170 points and two first-place votes, placing behind the 2025 GLVC Tournament Champions, Indianapolis, who topped the poll with 189 points and 11 first-place votes. McKendree (166 points, one first-place vote) and Lewis (159 points, one first-place vote) round out the top four.
 
This marks the third time in Drury's history that the Panthers were picked to finish second in the GLVC preseason poll, during the league's non-divisional period. The Panthers were most recently picked second prior to the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
 
Head coach Brooke Gajewski returns for her third season at the helm after guiding the Panthers to a 35-23 record, the program's first GLVC Regular Season title, and deepest national tournament run in program history.
 
The Panthers open the 2026 campaign on Jan. 30 with games against Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western in Mansfield, Texas, as part of the Lone Star Classic.
 
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