ACC
The ACC is run like a summer softball tournament. The regular season is pool play, and then everyone gets to play in the end of the year tournament. It doesn't matter--Georgia Tech (44-9) walks away with the championship.
American East
Boston College (32-16) is the clear tourney favorite. As an FYI, women's fastpitch softball was born in Massachusetts.
Atlantic 10
Fordham (38-17) won the conference, but I'm picking UMass (28-17) in the tourney. UMass produced a couple of excellent players over the years.
Atlantic Sun
Jacksonville (40-14). Why even play a post-season tournament?
Big 10
The regular season winner advances--and it looks like Michigan wins it. Indiana will likely get an at-large bid.
Big 12
Lots of fun in the Big 12. Due to the large number of rainouts, a bunch of makeup games are scheduled. Missouri plays Oklahoma State, and then plays two against Iowa State. Texas plays one game against Baylor.
Big East
Oh my, what fun we have in the Big East. Notre Dame (44-8) is favored, but I'm picking DePaul (38-12).
South Florida's (33-20) coach pulled his club off the DePaul field last weekend, presumably because of a threat from the opposing coach. I've been to the DePaul before...about the only serious threat in that area is getting hit with pigeon droppings.
Big South
Radford (35-19) is in. With any luck, they'll draw Arizona State.
Colonial
Hoffstra (38-10) plays some decent ball, and they should win the post-season tournament. Georgia State (31-22) is their closes competition.
Big West
This is the most under-rated softball conference in the country. These excellent teams play in the shadow of the PAC-10. To add insult to injury, they always get stuck in the same regional as UCLA. This year could be different.
Pacific (35-15) should win the tourney, with Long Beach State (35-15) getting an at-large bid.
Conference USA
Houston (39-15) won the regular season conference, but my pick is Tulsa (41-12) to win the post-season tournament.
Horizon
Loyola-Chicago wins the conference tourney and gets the automatic bid.
Ivy League
Harvard (36-14)...Harvard...Harvard.
Mid-American Conference
There are a number of contenders---Miami(OH) 30-19, Ohio (23-21) (Go Bobcats!), Western Michigan (20-26) and Northern Ilinois (26-25). Ohio (Go Bobcats!) has been playing consistently at the end of the season, so I've got to go with Ohio (Go Bobcats!). I am not, of course, swayed by prejudice for my DD's former team (Go Bobcats!).
Metro Atlanic
Gotta pick Marist (33-19) over regular season winner Fairfield (29-20).
Mid-Eastern
Bethune-Cookman (28-23) is favored over Delaware State (29-17).
Missouri Valley Conference
Regular season champ Illinois State (34-16) is the better team, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Southern Illinois (35-16) steal the automatic bid.
Moutain West
BYU (35-16) should win the tourney, with Utah (30-19) getting an at-large bid.
Northeast
Sacred Heart (27-19) is slightly favored over Bryant (25-19).
Ohio Valley
Regular season champ Eastern Illinois (41-10) should walk away with the tournament championship.
PAC-10
Arizona State, the #1 team in the country, should win the conference championship, with probably every other team other than Oregon State getting an at-large bid. Is this fair? Of course not.
Pacific Coast
Loyola Marymount (32-25) should beat Portland State (31-16) for the automatic bid.
Patriot League
I'm picking Colgate (25-19), the regular season winner, although Lehigh (30-21) isn't a bad team.
SEC
I'm picking Alabama to win the tournament, with Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia getting at-large bids. Auburn and LSU will likely get automatic bids as well, although neither deserve it.
Southern
Chattanooga (37-11) is in.
Southland
Texas A&M-CC (38-17) should easily take the conference tourney over UT-Arlington (33-23) and Texas State (28--25).
Southwestern
Gotta go with Texas Southern (26-28) for the conference tourney title over Missippi Valley State (25-25) and Jackson State (25-20).
Summit
The mighty Kangaroos of University of Missouri-KC (36-24) look to be any easy winner of the tourney.
Sun Belt
Lousiana Lafayette (45-9) will romp to the tourney championship. (I love this team...)
Western Athletic
New Mexico State (40-15) won the regular season title. However, there are several good teams such as the Hawai'i Wahine (37-16), the Fresno State Bulldogs (31-15) and the Boise State Broncos (32-18). My heart is with New Mexico State. My brain says Fresno State. So, of course I'm picking Boise State.
The ACC is run like a summer softball tournament. The regular season is pool play, and then everyone gets to play in the end of the year tournament. It doesn't matter--Georgia Tech (44-9) walks away with the championship.
American East
Boston College (32-16) is the clear tourney favorite. As an FYI, women's fastpitch softball was born in Massachusetts.
Atlantic 10
Fordham (38-17) won the conference, but I'm picking UMass (28-17) in the tourney. UMass produced a couple of excellent players over the years.
Atlantic Sun
Jacksonville (40-14). Why even play a post-season tournament?
Big 10
The regular season winner advances--and it looks like Michigan wins it. Indiana will likely get an at-large bid.
Big 12
Lots of fun in the Big 12. Due to the large number of rainouts, a bunch of makeup games are scheduled. Missouri plays Oklahoma State, and then plays two against Iowa State. Texas plays one game against Baylor.
Big East
Oh my, what fun we have in the Big East. Notre Dame (44-8) is favored, but I'm picking DePaul (38-12).
South Florida's (33-20) coach pulled his club off the DePaul field last weekend, presumably because of a threat from the opposing coach. I've been to the DePaul before...about the only serious threat in that area is getting hit with pigeon droppings.
Big South
Radford (35-19) is in. With any luck, they'll draw Arizona State.
Colonial
Hoffstra (38-10) plays some decent ball, and they should win the post-season tournament. Georgia State (31-22) is their closes competition.
Big West
This is the most under-rated softball conference in the country. These excellent teams play in the shadow of the PAC-10. To add insult to injury, they always get stuck in the same regional as UCLA. This year could be different.
Pacific (35-15) should win the tourney, with Long Beach State (35-15) getting an at-large bid.
Conference USA
Houston (39-15) won the regular season conference, but my pick is Tulsa (41-12) to win the post-season tournament.
Horizon
Loyola-Chicago wins the conference tourney and gets the automatic bid.
Ivy League
Harvard (36-14)...Harvard...Harvard.
Mid-American Conference
There are a number of contenders---Miami(OH) 30-19, Ohio (23-21) (Go Bobcats!), Western Michigan (20-26) and Northern Ilinois (26-25). Ohio (Go Bobcats!) has been playing consistently at the end of the season, so I've got to go with Ohio (Go Bobcats!). I am not, of course, swayed by prejudice for my DD's former team (Go Bobcats!).
Metro Atlanic
Gotta pick Marist (33-19) over regular season winner Fairfield (29-20).
Mid-Eastern
Bethune-Cookman (28-23) is favored over Delaware State (29-17).
Missouri Valley Conference
Regular season champ Illinois State (34-16) is the better team, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Southern Illinois (35-16) steal the automatic bid.
Moutain West
BYU (35-16) should win the tourney, with Utah (30-19) getting an at-large bid.
Northeast
Sacred Heart (27-19) is slightly favored over Bryant (25-19).
Ohio Valley
Regular season champ Eastern Illinois (41-10) should walk away with the tournament championship.
PAC-10
Arizona State, the #1 team in the country, should win the conference championship, with probably every other team other than Oregon State getting an at-large bid. Is this fair? Of course not.
Pacific Coast
Loyola Marymount (32-25) should beat Portland State (31-16) for the automatic bid.
Patriot League
I'm picking Colgate (25-19), the regular season winner, although Lehigh (30-21) isn't a bad team.
SEC
I'm picking Alabama to win the tournament, with Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia getting at-large bids. Auburn and LSU will likely get automatic bids as well, although neither deserve it.
Southern
Chattanooga (37-11) is in.
Southland
Texas A&M-CC (38-17) should easily take the conference tourney over UT-Arlington (33-23) and Texas State (28--25).
Southwestern
Gotta go with Texas Southern (26-28) for the conference tourney title over Missippi Valley State (25-25) and Jackson State (25-20).
Summit
The mighty Kangaroos of University of Missouri-KC (36-24) look to be any easy winner of the tourney.
Sun Belt
Lousiana Lafayette (45-9) will romp to the tourney championship. (I love this team...)
Western Athletic
New Mexico State (40-15) won the regular season title. However, there are several good teams such as the Hawai'i Wahine (37-16), the Fresno State Bulldogs (31-15) and the Boise State Broncos (32-18). My heart is with New Mexico State. My brain says Fresno State. So, of course I'm picking Boise State.
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