VALLEY CITY, N.D. (playnorthstar.com) – The Valley City State University softball team is ranked No. 10 in the Preseason NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll released Wednesday by the national office.

The Vikings remain in the same slot as the 2019 Postseason NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ poll on June 5, 2019.

Valley City State is coming off of a historic 2019 season after going 54-5 and setting the school record for wins in a season. The Vikings won the North Star Athletic Association Regular Season and Tournament championships earning them a spot in the NAIA National Tournament. Valley City State won their bracket in the opening round which allowed them to advance to the NAIA World Series for just the third time in school history. The Vikings broke more than a dozen team and individual records last season.

Read more highlights from the historic 2019 softball season here.

The 2020 season brings in a new coaching staff with Mark Mattson as head coach and Barbi Mattson as associate head coach for the Vikings. Mark and Barbi join Valley City State from Angelina College, an NJCAA Division I school in Lufkin, Texas. Under their leadership, Angelina College won its first ever national championship in 2014, and last season the Roadrunners were national runner-up at the NJCAA Division I level.

Valley City State softball begins their season Feb. 14-15, with four games at the Presentation College Dome Tournament.

2020 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Preseason Poll

Bellevue University, also a member of the NSAA, is in the receiving votes category of the preseason poll.