The Carthage College softball team was ranked 16th in the 2013 pre-season National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll and picked to finish second in this year's College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin race.

Defending-national-champion Pacific Lutheran University (45-11 record in 2012, 8 first-place votes) was ranked first in the poll, followed by Montclair State University (44-9) second, Luther College (41-9) third, Tufts University (41-7) fourth, national-runner-up Linfield College (46-7) fifth, Roanoke College (35-11) sixth, CCIW-member Illinois Wesleyan University (39-8) seventh, Christopher Newport University (37-11) eighth, Texas Tyler (39-9) ninth, Eastern Connecticut State University (44-3) 10th, Central College (36-10) 11th, the State University of New York-Plattsburgh (35-11) 12th, Trine University (40-10) 13th, Rowan University (39-9) 14th, Ohio Northern University (31-14) 15th and Carthage College (37-10) ranked 16th.

The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin softball coaches picked 2012 league co-champion Carthage to finish second in 2013.  Co-champion Illinois Wesleyan University (46 points, 6 first-place votes) was picked to win this year's title, followed by Carthage (44 points, 2 first-place votes) second, Augustana College (Ill., 33 points) and North Central College (33 points) tied for third place, Millikin University (29 points) fifth, Elmhurst College (16 points) sixth, Wheaton College (Ill., 15 points) seventh and North Park University (8 points) eighth.

Carthage opens its 2013 season at the Friday-Saturday, Feb. 22-23 Finlandia University “Superior Dome Tournament” at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Mich.