LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Despite having its 26-game winning streak snapped,Valdosta State remains, by the slimmest of margins, in the No. 1 spot in this week’s NFCA Division II Poll. 

The Blazers (37-4) after a .500 week (3-3) received 10 of 16 first-place votes and 388 points, a mere three points ahead of No. 2 West Texas A&M (33-6), which garnered four first-place votes and 385 points. No. 3 Missouri-St. Louis (31-3) inched closer as well with the final two first-place votes and 376 points.

In all, the top eight spots remained the same, North Alabama moved up on spot to No. 9 and Indianapolis makes its first top-10 appearance at No. 10.

VSU opened its week with a doubleheader sweep of Young Harris (12-0 / 6-3) and then hit the road for a Gulf South showdown at then-No. 13 Alabama-Huntsville. In the much anticipated series, the Blazers dropped a pair of three-run contests (0-3 / 3-6) to the Chargers with their lone win (6-3) coming in game two. Despite the two defeats, the Blazers still hold the top spot in the league standings.

West Texas A&M extended its winning streak to nine games and its lead in the Lone Star Conference standings after a 6-0 week, which included a four-game league sweep of Texas A&M Kingsville (9-4 / 13-2 / 11-5 / 20-3). Counting a mid-week twinbill sweep of Heartland Conference leaders, Lubbock Christian (12-2 / 7-6), the Lady Buffs scored 72 runs last week, a 12-run per game average.

Riding a 13-game winning streak, Missouri-St. Louis continues its hold on the No. 3 spot in the rankings. The Tritons enjoyed a 6-0 week with a non-conference sweep at Maryville (8-5 / 5-0) and two conference sweeps of Quincy (5-4 / 7-4 in 9 inn.) and Truman State (6-4 / 8-1).

No. 4 Dixie State picked up a big PacWest series win at then No. 19 California Baptist. The Red Storm (34-7) took three-of-four (6-0 / 3-1 / 6-1 / 0-5) from the Lancers (33-9) in Riverside, Calif. No. 5 Cal State-Monterey Bay won its CCSA series against then-No. 24 Sonoma State (3-1 / 1-13 / 7-6 / 16-9), jumping ahead of the Seawolves for second place in the standings.

No. 6 Georgia College (35-5) went 1-1, while No. 7 St. Mary’s (31-7) and No. 8 North Georgia (31-5) each went undefeated in their respective conference play. No. 9 North Alabama (30-6) took two-of-three on the road at Gulf South foe West Georgia, while Indianapolis enjoyed a 7-1 week, including 5-1 in GLVC play to make an appearance in the top 10.

Joining the top-25 this week is Barry (25-9), for the first time this season, out of the Sunshine State Conference, while No. 22 Winona State and No. 25 Metro State return to the rankings.

The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. 2015 records and previous week’s rankings are shown with first-place votes in parentheses.

NFCA Division II Softball Poll – April 8, 2015

Dropped Out: No. 23 Arkansas Tech (28-10), No. 24 Sonoma State (28-13), No. 25 Cameron (27-10)

New to Poll: No. 21 Barry, No. 22 Winona State, No. 25 Metro State

Others Receiving Votes: Ashland (26), Sonoma State (23), West Virginia Wesleyan (19), Charleston (7), Arkansas Tech (6), Henderson State (6), LIU Post (4), Young Harris (4), Caldwell (2), Armstrong State (2), Cameron (2), Central Missouri (2), Pittsburg State (1).