Riverdale was picked as a unanimous favorite to win its second straight softball conference championship in WRMJ’s TRAC West preseason coaches poll.
The Rams were picked as the favorite by all five other coaches in the conference. In the poll, Riverdale finished six points above Rockridge, the runner-up pick. Sherrard (third), Mercer County (fourth), Orion (fifth), and Monmouth-Roseville (sixth) rounded out the poll.
All six coaches in the TRAC West participated. They were asked to rank the teams in the conference, excluding themselves, 1-5. A first-place vote received five points, a second-place vote received four points, and so on.
The poll results are below. The number in parentheses represents how many first-place votes a team received.
2026 TRAC West Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverdale (5) | 25 |
| 2 | Rockridge | 19 |
| 3 | Sherrard | 18 |
| 4 | Mercer County | 14 |
| 5 | Orion | 9 |
| 6 | Monmouth-Roseville | 5 |
Team Capsules
Riverdale Rams
Head Coach: Randy Creen (11th season)
2025 Record: 26-6, 9-1 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional final to Brimfield-Elmwood 10-0
Rockridge Rockets
Head Coach: Josh Bognar (1st season)
2025 Record: 24-6-1, 8-2 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional final to Sherrard 2-1
Sherrard Tigers
Head Coach: Josh Starkweather (3rd season)
2025 Record: 22-10, 6-4 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A sectional semifinal to St. Bede 3-2
Mercer County Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Dustin Murray (4th season)
2025 Record: 21-12, 5-5 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional semifinal to Riverdale 6-3
Orion Chargers
Head Coach: Cammie Heald (3rd season)
2025 Record: 10-24, 2-8 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional quarterfinal to Mercer County 21-0
Monmouth-Roseville Titans
Head Coach: Jarrod Hippen (8th season)
2025 Record: 6-20, 0-10 TRAC West
Postseason: Lost in 2A regional quarterfinal to North Fulton 4-3
WRMJ’s coverage of the TRAC is powered by…
- Midwest Bank, with locations that include Aledo, Andalusia, Monmouth, and Moline
- Local COUNTRY Financial representatives Tracy Bigham, Jason Potter, and John Waugh in Aledo, Brent Bigham in Edgington, and Julie Hessler in Orion.
- Breedlove’s Sporting Goods in Kewanee