LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Defending national champion Tufts continues to be the unanimous choice atop the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 softball rankings.

The (37-3) Jumbos again earned all eight first-place votes to remain the clear-cut No. 1 team heading into NCAA Tournament play following a 5-0 week, which included winning the New England Small College Athletic Conference tournament title. Tufts has been the top team in eight of 12 polls this season, including four straight to start the year and the last two weeks.

Linfield (34-7), meanwhile, passed Texas-Tyler (41-4) for second place on the list without playing any games. Texas-Tyler had one loss last week, going 4-1 en route to the American Southwest Conference (ASC) tournament championship.

The Capital Athletic Conference’s top two finishers, Salisbury (35-3) and Christopher Newport (35-6) are ranked fourth and fifth, while ASC tournament runner-up East Texas Baptist (39-7) moves up two spots to sixth.

Trine (37-3) is seventh following a 4-1 week, while Luther (30-6) is No. 8, Virginia Wesleyan (37-5) is No. 9 and Illinois Wesleyan (37-5) rounds out the top 10.

Anderson (29-7) returned to the poll after a one-week hiatus, while Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (28-13) is back in the rankings for the first time in more than a month (April 2). North Central and Thomas More dropped out.

The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Records as of Monday are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses.

To view the complete NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll, please click here