Bluffton College was selected by the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference softball coaches to win the 2001 season. The Beavers finished the poll with 29 overall points and two first place votes. Anderson picked up 28 points to finish a tight second. Hanover and Manchester were also close in the poll with 23 and 20 points, respectively. Mount St. Joseph (17), Defiance (13) and Franklin (10) round out the list.
The 2001 season begins in early March with conference games slated to start April 10. Each school will play a round robin schedule with double headers against each conference opponent. Regular season records will determine seeding into the season-ending conference tournament May 4-5 hosted by the highest seed. The winner of the conference championship will be crowned HCAC Champion and earn a berth into the NCAA Championship Tournament.
Anderson claimed the 2000 conference championship after defeating Wilmington (no longer a conference member) 13-0 in the finals of the HCAC Tournament. Bluffton finished fourth last season.
| Team | Points (1st place) |
| Bluffton | 29 (2) |
| Anderson | 28 (1) |
| Hanover | 23 (1) |
| Manchester | 20 |
| Mt. St. Joseph | 17 (1) |
| Defiance | 13 |
| Franklin | 10 |
Bluffton: Heather Thornton, Sr., CF (.342 BA, 19 RBI); Bree Wood, Sr., 3B (.320 BA, 18 RBI); Erin Cook, Sr., RF (.300 BA, 17 RBI)
Manchester: Nicolette Gasior, Jr., P (13-5, 2.29 ERA, .315 BA); Kelly Phelps, Jr., 2B (.302 BA, 19 RBI); Tiffany Ozbun, Sr., C (18 RBI)
Mount St. Joseph: Stephanie Schram, Jr., IF (.411 BA, 20 RBI); Christy Stath, Jr., OF (.297 BA, 18 RBI); Angela VanGries, Sr., P (9-10, 2.86 ERA)
Defiance: Trisha Spry, Jr., P (7-11, 2.30 ERA); Kristi Beechy, Jr., SS/C (.304, 13 RBI); Nicole Beck, So., OF (.293 BA)
Franklin: Amanda Vaught, Sr., 3B (.224 BA); Suzie Thompson, Jr., OF (.229 BA); Joni Brach, Sr., P (3.03 ERA)
