The USA South Athletic Conference released its softball preseason coaches' poll on Wednesday afternoon. Piedmont was picked to win the conference, while Covenant was selected to place 11th in the 13-team league.
The 2013-14 season is Covenant's first in the USA South and as full members of NCAA Division III.
Piedmont, ranked 13th in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) preseason poll, picked up 10 of the 13 first place votes. Ferrum is second with three first place tallied and 133 total points. Huntingdon, Methodist, and Meredith round out the top five in that order.
Covenant, under sixth year head coach Sara Russell, is looking to bounce back after a tough 2013 season that saw the Lady Scots finish 6-30. Russell returns seven starters from last year's squad including leading hitter Morgan Lane and top pitcher Cori Hilt.