LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Unbeaten two-time defending national champion Tufts University continues to be the pacesetter atop the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 softball rankings.
Tufts (38-0) extended its victory streak to 40 games, dating back to the final two games of the NCAA Championship Series last May, and holds the No. 1 spot for the 11th week this season and 14th consecutive week. The Jumbos have now won 71 of their last 72 and have received every first-place vote going back to last April. They have been ranked first in 15 of the last 18 polls and 20 of the last 24.
The next three teams remain unchanged for the third straight week, with Texas-Tyler (37-1), East Texas Baptist (31-2) and Luther (35-3). Trine (33-2) joins them in the top five, replacing Virginia Wesleyan (29-6), which dropped five spots to 10th after two losses as the top seed in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament.
Last year’s Division III runner-up Salisbury (30-6) won four straight to move up two places to sixth, while Emory (31-7) gained two spots to seventh and Wisconsin-Whitewater (32-6) surged five places to No. 8.
Rowan (34-4) finally stopped its steady climb up the rankings, but remains in the top 10 at No. 9, and won its first New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament contest on Tuesday behind Beth Ann Hyland’s one-hit gem.
Washington (33-11) University had the biggest fall this week, eight places to a tie with Hope (27-7) for 20th, while Alfred (31-3) kept up its winning ways for the second-best gain (four spots) to 18th.
Overall, 12 teams in rankings have win streaks of 12 or more games.
No. 23 Fontbonne (27-9) and No. 25 Wisconsin-Eau Claire (25-16) join Ramapo (25-11-1) and William Paterson (27-9-1) in the receiving votes category as the newcomers this week.
Birmingham-Southern, Simpson and Wisconsin-La Crosse, meanwhile, are the three teams that dropped out this week.
The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Current records are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses.
For the complete poll, click HERE