ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The American Midwest Conference released its 2026 Coaches' Preseason Poll, and Cottey College earned a fourth‑place projection with 66 points, positioning the Comets firmly in the upper half of the league.
Columbia College was voted the preseason favorite with 85 points and seven first‑place votes, followed by Williams Baptist (82 points, two first‑place votes) and Central Baptist (77 points, one first‑place vote). Cottey came in next, ahead of Stephens, Health Sciences & Pharmacy, Hannibal‑LaGrange, Crowley's Ridge, Mission, and Harris‑Stowe.
2026 AMC Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll
| Rank | School | Points | First‑Place Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia | 85 | 7 |
| 2 | Williams Baptist | 82 | 2 |
| 3 | Central Baptist | 77 | 1 |
| **4 | Cottey | 66 | —** |
| 5 | Stephens | 56 | — |
| 6 | Health Sciences & Pharmacy | 44 | — |
| 7 | Hannibal‑LaGrange | 36 | — |
| 8 | Crowley's Ridge | 35 | — |
| 9 | Mission | 30 | — |
| 10 | Harris‑Stowe | 23 | — |
Four Comets Named to AMC Preseason All‑Conference Team
Cottey was well‑represented on the 2026 AMC Softball Preseason All‑Conference list, with four Comets earning recognition:
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Estelle Audette, Cottey
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Amelia Gassman, Cottey
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Halen Hoelzeman, Cottey
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Makayla Snyder, Cottey
They join standout selections from across the conference, including Central Baptist, Columbia, Crowley's Ridge, Health Sciences & Pharmacy, Mission, Stephens, and Williams Baptist.
Around the Conference
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New Coach: Ryan Hargrove takes over at Crowley's Ridge.
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AMC Tournament: The 2026 AMC Softball Tournament will be held April 28–May 2 at the Branson Rec Plex in Branson, Missouri.
