CLEVELAND, Ohio — Defending Mid-American Conference regular season champion Kent State has been named co-favorite to win the 2016 MAC Softball Championship, which will be held at Firestone Stadium in Akron from May 11-14, by the conference's 12 head coaches. The Golden Flashes and Central Michigan received three votes each to earn the MAC's automatic bid to NCAA Regionals in the preseason coaches poll, which the league office announced on Wednesday (Feb. 10).
Despite being picked to finish third in the East Division, Kent State received four first-place votes. Ohio matched Kent State's four first-place nods, but Miami was projected to win the division and received three first-place votes.