CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) office announced the 2027 Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll on Wednesday morning, with the Corban University softball program being selected eighth among the conference's nine programs entering the upcoming campaign.

"It's exciting times here with this group coming into a new season," Warriors' head coach Jeff Covalt shared. "We will be young but ready to compete in the best NAIA conference in the country. Big things come with small steps and lots of hard work, and we just hope to continue to progress and enjoy these student-athletes as they develop and grow into a really special group of faith-centered players."

The Warriors earned 33 points in the preseason voting, finishing just three points behind Warner Pacific University and eight points ahead of Bushnell University. The poll projects another highly competitive race within the conference, with three programs receiving first-place votes. Based on the voting results, Southern Oregon University was tabbed as the preseason favorite with 75 points and six first-place votes.

While the preseason coaches' poll places Corban eighth entering the season, the Warriors return a veteran nucleus for Covalt's squad. Corban brings back half of their 2026 starting lineup and enters 2027 with 14 newcomers on the roster, providing a strong foundation for continued development within the program.

The Warriors endured a challenging 2026 campaign but showed flashes of promise throughout conference play, including a CCC series win over rival Bushnell University, and a conference victory over national contenders Eastern Oregon University and Oregon Tech, the latter of which came on the Lady Owls' home field. Corban concluded the season with a 6-32 overall record and a 5-19 CCC mark while competing against one of the toughest softball conferences in the NAIA.

Among the notable returning performers, Corban received standout contributions from several student-athletes in 2026. Junior first baseman Mckenna Hanson led the Warriors offensively with a .390 batting average and 41 hits to represent the team's only All-Conference selection, while several additional returners gained valuable experience against conference competition throughout the spring campaign.

The conference's preseason rankings reflect the depth of the league, with Southern Oregon, Oregon Tech, and Eastern Oregon occupying the top three positions after all three programs qualified for postseason competition last spring. The poll also featured first-place votes for Southern Oregon, Oregon Tech, and Eastern Oregon, signaling an expected battle atop the standings throughout the season. First-time NAIA World Series attendees College of Idaho (64) and the University of British Columbia (51) earned the fourth and fifth place positions, respectively, followed by Simpson University (38), Warner Pacific University (36), Corban, and Bushnell University (25).

2027 CCC Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll Results

The 2027 NAIA Softball Coaches Preseason Poll will be released later this year by the NAIA National Office.

Follow Corban Athletics:
Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | YouTube | Email | Photo Galleries