MaxPreps 2015 Illinois preseason softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Gurnee Warren (Gurnee)
2014 record: 28-9, Class 4A state champion
Head coach: Bryan McNulty

Last year was a dream season for the Blue Devils. With a new coach, the team won 14 of its final 16 games and captured the school's first state title in a girls sport. Warren will try to string together consecutive championships and has some key pieces returning. Five starters are back, including four players who hitter over .300. Shortstop Shannon McKeon, the No. 3 hitter, was second on the team in hits and doubles. Rachele Belletini and Sabrina Trevino (six home runs) each have some pop in their bats and drove in over 20 runs apiece. The Blue Devils will have to replace ace pitcher Jana Wagner, who graduated and is now playing at Palm Beach Atlantic College. Wagner was 16-3 and threw over 130 innings. Emily Poremba pitched in four games last season as a junior and could step into the starting role.

View last season's Illinois softball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort)
2014 record: 27-12
Head coach: Elizabeth Pawlicki



The Griffins are coming off a fourth-place finish in Class 4A and have high expectations this season. The team has back a first-team all-state outfielder, its top pitcher and four other starters, so good things could be in store. Jenny Van Geertry, a Northern Illinois recruit, hit a team-leading .504 with 62 hits as a junior. The all-state leftfielder also had six home runs, 10 doubles and 47 RBIs in the middle of the Griffins' lineup. Pitcher Nikole VanGennep was solid in her own right. In her junior season, she went 13-4 on the mound and smacked six home runs and nine doubles. Catcher Blake Ruiz was unstoppable, getting 24 extra-base hits, including 12 homers. Junior Nicole O'Donnell added six home runs.

View last season's Illinois softball playoff brackets

3. Barrington
2014 record: 27-12
Head coach: Perry Peterson

One year after placing third at state, Barrington was taken down in super-sectionals by the eventual state champions, Warren. The Fillies have revenge on their minds in 2015. With 12 players returning from last year's team that won 15 of its final 19 games, Barrington has a solid starting point. This year, the Fillies will rely on one of the best hurlers in the state. Loyola University (Chicago) commit Keenan Dolezal will start her fourth year in the circle and has a 59-13 career record. As a junior last season, Dolezal was 26-10 with a 1.65 ERA and 255 strikeouts in 229 2/3 innings. The Fillies also have back some strong hitters in sophomore Carly Kordich (.407, 44 RBIs) and senior Kat Panos, who missed most of last season with a knee injury.

View last season's Illinois softball stat leaders

4. Sandburg (Orland Park)
2014 record: 24-16, Class 4A state runner-up
Head coach: James Fabianski



The Eagles entered last season's postseason just three games above .500 – that's when the girls went on a roll. The team advanced all the way to the state title game before falling to Warren. The Eagles are looking for another strong postseason push this year. Sandburg lost six senior starters from last year's squad, but returns three of the top four hitters in the batting order. First baseman Katie Krzus was tops on the team as a junior in batting average (.412), home runs (seven) and RBIs (32), and tied for first in runs (30) and doubles (eight). Brianna Soltis, a junior second baseman, hit .359 with five home runs. The Eagles will have to replace pitcher Sarah Herold (11-6), who hit almost .400 and had five homers as a senior.

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5. Manteno
2014 record: 39-2, Class 3A state runner-up
Head coach: Josh Carlile

The Panthers are coming off their best season in program history. However, it didn't produce a state title. One of Manteno's two losses came in the championship to Chatham. With the Panthers losing just three seniors – including star pitcher Brooke Stulga (36-2 and ERA under 1.00) – the team has back seven starters. Senior Jackie Beck will have a shot at being the ace this season after throwing in five games last year with a 3-0 record and 1.31 ERA. Manteno's potent lineup will feature shortstop Carly Trepanier (.453, nine home runs, 45 RBIs) and fellow senior centerfielder Kiley Zajdzinski (.427, nine triples, 34 RBIs).