CORVALLIS, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University Softball has been picked to finish third in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Preseason Poll, earning 69 points and two first-place votes as the Mountaineers prepare for the 2027 season.

EOU enters the season following a historic 2026 campaign, finishing with a 40-13 overall record and a second-place finish in the CCC standings at 13-5. The Mountaineers advanced to the championship matchup of the NAIA Opening Round, capping off a season that saw the program reach new heights. EOU earned their first-ever No. 1 national ranking after an 11-game winning streak that included victories over then-No. 1 Southern Oregon, and finished the season ranked No. 13 in the NAIA.

The Mountaineers return a talented core, led by All-Region and CCC First Team selections Raygun Klippert and Lexi Grumbois, alongside fellow CCC First Team honoree Liz Heinz. EOU will look to their returning standouts and an incoming group of newcomers to help fill the gaps left by All-American Hope Burke and key contributors Natalie Dimitrov, Emily Barry, and Kelly Monaghan.

Among the newcomers expected to make an impact are pitchers Lucy Duval, Ava Eib, and Gracie Hurston, along with outfielder Jordynn Marquez. Under eighth-year Head Coach Nicole Christian, the Mountaineers will look to build on last season's historic success and remain among the conference's top contenders in 2027.

EOU will open their 2027 campaign in Arizona, beginning with a matchup against Benedictine Mesa on Jan. 28.


2027 CCC Softball Preseason Poll:

Team (First-Place Votes)	Points
1. Southern Oregon University (6)	75
2. Oregon Tech (1)	70
3. Eastern Oregon University (2)	69
4. College of Idaho	64
5. University of British Columbia	51
6. Simpson University	38
7. Warner Pacific University	36
8. Corban University	33
9. Bushnell University	25