The Missouri State softball team recently was selected to finish seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference according to the preseason poll of coaches.
The Bears were picked behind preseason favorite Wichita State, Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Bradley and Drake.
Missouri State sophomore pitcher Erin Struemph was voted to the preseason All-MVC squad.
Struemph (St. Elizabeth High School) led the Bears' staff with a 3.35 ERA, 155 strikeouts, three saves and a 13-12 record. She recorded the most strikeouts by a Missouri State freshman since 1987 when Monica Johnson had 172.
Struemph struck out 11 Northern Iowa batters in a game last season, the highest single game total by any MVC pitcher in 2014.
Twice during the 2014 season, Struemph was named MVC Newcomer of the Week. She was named to the MVC All-Tournament Team after earning a complete game victory in the opening round.
Missouri State returns nine letterwinners and five starters from the 2014 squad that finished 28-27 with a 10-16 MVC record. A newcomer to the squad is freshman Sara Jones (Blair Oaks High School), who made the team as a walk-on.
The Bears travel to Ruston, La., to open the season in the Louisiana Tech Invitational on Feb. 6-8.