FOREST, Va. --- ODAC softball teams had won a combined 90 games at a .580 winning percentage when play was halted last March. As they prepare to return to league fields in 2021, the conference's coaches benchmarked one of the league's most competitive sports in the 2021 ODAC Softball Coaches Poll.

Virginia Wesleyan University is heavily favored atop this season's survey as the Marlins look to capture their fifth consecutive league crown. VWU collected 10 first place votes on the way to a chart-topping 100 overall points. Randolph-Macon College chimes in second with 85 tallies, while Emory & Henry College rounds out the top-three with 79 markers including the remaining top nod.

The University of Lynchburg garnered 69 points to slot in the fourth position. A pair of last season's up-and-coming programs (see more below) were separated by just five points for fifth and sixth place. Ferrum College earned 63 points, while Bridgewater College gathered 58 markers.

STORYLINES: PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
The 2020 season was abruptly halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic with several developing storylines that teams will look reestablish as they open play in 2020.

• Looking to Become the Only ODAC Team to Win 5-Straight ODAC Titles | No ODAC team has won five consecutive softball titles, but Virginia Wesleyan still has a chance to be the first. The Marlins, who started 11-1 last season, have played in nine total championship games since 2008 with seven trophies. That includes each of the past four prizes from 2016-19. Only one other program has won four championships in a row. Roanoke hoisted the conference hardware from 1999 thru 2002.
• The "Hull" of Fame | When the 2020 season was halted, Virginia Wesleyan lefty Hanna Hull had already taken over the ODAC and VWU record books. She returns to the circle for one more go-round in 2021 with a chance to further solidify her legacy. The three-time NFCA All-American and two-time Division III Player of the Year is one of just 24 pitchers all-time in Division III to rack up 1,000 or more career strikeouts (1,153). Hull boasts a 109-9 (.924) career record, with the victories and winning percentage ranking #1 in ODAC history. She also owns league records for career strikeouts, innings pitched (725.2), shutouts (44), and ERA (0.68). Her ODAC single-season records include wins (40 in 2018), innings pitched (267.2 in 2018), strikeouts (376 in 2018), shuouts (17 in 2017), and ERA (0.51 in 2017). Hull was off to arguably her best start in 2020 as she was 8-0 with five complete games and four shutouts in 47.1 innings. She fanned 66 batters and allowed just 20 hits and one overall run towards a 0.15 ERA.
• Starting Out with Wins in Hand | Six ODAC teams start the 2021 season having won at least their final game of the 2020 slate. Virginia Wesleyan is riding an 8-game streak, while Shenandoah posted wins in its final seven outings. Bridgewater hopes to stretch out its current 5-game positive string. Ferrum claimed victories in its final two games, while Guilford and Randolph-Macon each capped 2020 with a "W."
• Shining on the National Stage | Ever since Roanoke made a run to a national fourth-place finish in 2012, ODAC teams have thrived in the NCAA Tournament. The only blips on the ledger are an 0-2 showing in 2016 and last year's canceled event. Including 2012, ODAC teams have combined to win 53 tournament games at a .582 clip. Those performances are highlighted by back-to-back national titles by Virginia Wesleyan in 2017 and 2018. They went 21-2 in those events. Roanoke went 6-2 during its 2012 run. Randolph-Macon punched its ticket to the national final eight in 2019, going 4-3 before bowing out. Lynchburg nearly joined R-MC for a shot at the 2019 title. The Hornets came up one win shy of a finals berth after going 5-3 in earlier rounds. Emory & Henry also contributed to the win total with two trips in 2017 and 2019. For those counting, that made for an ODAC record four bids into the 2019 tournament field.
• Trending Upward | Several teams in addition to Virginia Wesleyan were off to strong starts in 2020. Each will be looking to build upon that momentum when the spring schedule begins. Randolph-Macon opened 8-3-1 and was building up to a run at a second ODAC title with ultimate eyes on a second straight deep NCAA experience. Bridgewater, under first year head coach Megan Pleskovic, won nine of its final 10 teams to post a 13-3 campaign. Ferrum had a similar record at 12-3 in 2020, but the Panthers took the reverse path to their final standing. FC ran out of the gates with nine consecutive victories and 10 in its first 11 outings.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING NATIONALLY ENTERING 2021

• Four different ODAC teams earned rankings throughout the 2020 coaches polls published by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). Three of those squads open this season garnering national recognition. Virginia Wesleyan appears one spot higher than where it finished 2020 with the Marlins fourth in the NFCA preseason top-25. They trail East Texas Baptist University (15-0 in 2020), Texas Lutheran University (19-1), and Christopher Newport University (12-1), sequentially.
• Randolph-Macon takes up position 23rd in the NFCA poll. The Yellow Jackets slotted 18th in the final 2020 table.
• Ferrum, which ranked 23rd in the NFCA's final 2020 poll, opens 2021 receiving votes towards the top-25 along with eight other programs just outside the official list.

PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2021
Several standouts return to each squad in 2021. Listed below are a few players to keep your eyes on this season with a more in-depth look at each team in the capsules found at the bottom of this article.

   POSITION PLAYERS

• Katrina Martin, BC | 2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team 1B; led ODAC in SLG (.977), triples (3), and walks (15), 2nd in OBP (.603), RBI (22), and total bases (43), 3rd in hits (21), runs (19) and homers (4) in 2020
• Emily Davis, EMU | 5th in the ODAC in SLG (.750) and 6th in BA (.472), OBP (.558), and total bases (27) in 2020
• Anna Thomas, E&H | 2019 ODAC ROY and All-ODAC 2nd Team; in ROY season, slashed .400/.432/.591 with 15 doubles and 27 RBI
• Kendall Varner, E&H | 2019 All-ODAC 1st Team 1B; career slash line of .340/.407/.455; 45 of her 87 career hits have gone for extra bases; 10 doubles, 12 homers and 32 RBI in 2019
• Bayley Cunningham, FC | led the ODAC with 7 doubles in 2020
• Arielle Eure, FC | led the ODAC in BA (.563), OBP (.611), runs (21), hits (27), triples (3), and total bases (44) in 2020; was 2nd in slugging (.917), doubles (5), and steals (16).
• Keri Hamlett, FC | led the ODAC with 20 stolen bases and 21 runs scored in 2020
• Casey Bunting, GC | led the ODAC in homers (5) and RBI (24) and ranked 3rd in total bases (31) and SLG (.912) in 2020
• Kayla Hugate, LYN | 3x All-ODAC SS; 2017-19 2nd Team; career .363/.428/.452 slash line with 29 doubles and 71 RBI; .947 fielding percentage in 620 total chances at shortstop
• Delaney Nuckols, RAND | slashed .327/.365/.388 in first collegiate season in 2020
• Sami Davidson, R-MC | 2x All-ODAC catcher; 2018 1st Team, 2019 2nd Team; slashed .429/.462/.543 with 12 RBI in 2020; has thrown out 40-of-130 (.308) would-be base stealers in her career
• Erin Doyle, R-MC | led the ODAC in homers (5) and was 3rd in RBI (17) in 2020
• Shelby Hill, R-MC | 2018 All-ODAC 3rd Team OF; uptick in all numbers in 2020 in slashing .472/.548/.639; 4th with 17 runs
• Maddie Stone, R-MC | 2019 All-ODAC 1st Team 2B; career .341 hitter with 36 stolen bases and 83 runs scored
• Rebecca Hensley, RC | 2019 All-ODAC 1st Team OF; slashed .390/.490/.610 with 14 runs scored in 2020; hit .425 with 23 RBI and 11 steals in 2019
• Shanan Hester, RC | 2019 All-ODAC 3rd Team Utility; slashed .381/.409/.677 with 3 homers and 14 RBI in 2020
• Morgan Henley, SU | 2019 All-ODAC 3rd Team OF; career .339/.422/.485 slash line with 17 doubles and 54 homers; .500 OBP in 2020; in the circle, went 4-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 2020
• Nikki Stone, SU | top-10 in the ODAC in BA (.469) and OBP (.500) in 2020
• Katelyn Biando, VWU | 2x All-ODAC 2B; 2018 2nd Team, 2019 1st Team; career .315 hitter with 15 doubles and 67 RBI
• Jessica Goldyn, VWU | 2019 All-ODAC 1st Team Utility; 2nd in the ODAC in steals (16) and 3rd in BA (.485) and OBP (.585) in 2020; also slugged .697
• Madison Glaubke, VWU | 2018 ODAC POY, All-ODAC 1st Team 2018-19; career .325/.458/.478 slash line with 21 doubles, 11 homers, and 82 RBI; in POY season, posted .361/.478/.566 with 7 homers and 34 RBI
• Julia Sinnett, VWU | 2x All-ODAC 3B; 2018 3rd Team, 2019 1st Team; career .367/.425/.551 slash line with 30 doubles, 8 homers and 75 RBI
• Danielle Stewart, VWU | 2nd in BA (.500), 5th in OBP (.563) and 7th in SLG (.714) in 2020

   PITCHERS

• Brantley Swift, BC | 7-0 with 1.52 ERA in 50.2 IP in rookie season in 2020; 7 wins were 2nd in the ODAC
• Emily Campbell, EMU | led the ODAC in IP (56.2) and tied for the ODAC lead in complete games (7) in 2020
• Alex Braun, E&H | 2019 All-ODAC 3rd Team; 27 Ks with a 2.77 ERA in 35.1 IP in 2020; 19 career complete games and a 2.55 career ERA
• Cameron Derr, E&H | 2019 All-ODAC 2nd Team; tied for the ODAC lead in complete games (7) in 2020; fanned ODAC 2nd-best 55 batters with a 2.29 ERA in 52.0 IP
• Ashton Lambeth, FC | 20 wins in 2 ODAC seasons; 6-2 with a 3.72 ERA in 2020
• Lyndsey Sears, FC | 6-1 with 40 Ks and a 2.12 ERA in 43.0 IP in first season in 2020
• Katie McNeill, GC | 5 wins and 41 Ks in 30.2 IP in 2020; 15 wins and 18 complete games in 2019
• Kayley Cox, LYN | career 2.46 ERA with 16 wins and 120 Ks in 196.0 IP
• Braelyn Cooper, RAND | 3.61 ERA with 26 Ks in 31.0 IP in first season in 2020
• Rilee Baughan, R-MC | 2 wins with a 1.15 ERA in 30.1 IP in first collegiate season in 2020
• Madie Rhoads, R-MC | 2018 ODAC ROY and All-ODAC 2nd Team; career 2.15 ERA with 23 wins and 225 Ks in 201.2 IP; in ROY season, went 13-3 with 147 Ks and a 0.80 ERA in 104.2 IP
• Jada Karnes, RC | 3rd in ODAC with 48 Ks to go with a 2.53 ERA in 47.0 in 1st collegiate season in 2020
• Megan Scalley, SU | 3 wins with 40 Ks and a 3.63 ERA in 34.2 IP in 2020; 12 career complete games
• Carla Hall, VWU | 2019 All-ODAC 1st Team; went 10-1 with a 1.54 ERA in 2018 and 12-2 with a 1.82 ERA in 2019; 14 career complete games
• Hanna Hull, VWU | 3x ODAC PiOY and 1st Team choice; see above for full details

THE SCHEDULE AND TOURNAMENT

• The ODAC conference schedule is unaltered from previous seasons with teams slated to play 20 league games featuring doubleheaders against other league opponents.
• As is consistent with all ODAC sports, the number of non-conference games played will be determined by each school. The maximum number of games -- conference plus non-conference -- remains at 40 events.
• The 2021 ODAC Softball Championship will not be conducted in Salem. This season's format maintains an eight-team field and will feature three rounds of "best-of-three" competition hosted at campus sites. Days used will be finalized as the event approaches. Dates shown should be considered flexible and subject to change.
  • First Round: Friday, April 30 thru Sunday, May 2 -- doubleheader on Day 1, single "if necessary" game on Day 2
  • Second Round: Tuesday, May 4 thru Thursday, May 6 -- doubleheader on Day 1, single "if necessary" game on Day 2
  • Championship: Friday, May 7 thru Sunday, May 9 -- doubleheader on Day 1, single "if necessary" game on Day 2
• The NCAA has shifted selections for the Division III Softball Tournament back one week with a reduced field size. The new selection date is Sunday, May 16.

Listed below is the 2021 ODAC Softball Coaches Poll. Be sure to check out the preseason capsules for more details on each team.

For more information on ODAC softball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

2021 ODAC SOFTBALL COACHES POLL