LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Three programs, two making their 2024 debut, enter the rankings, while North Georgia continues as the unanimous No. 1 in this week’s 2024 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. Along with the new faces, there were some small shifts up and down the rankings.
The NightHawks (12-2) opened their home season hosting the North Georgia Leadoff Classic, posting a 4-1 mark. They knocked off UNC Pembroke twice, Lake Erie and new-No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bears (9-3) handed UNG its only defeat, 2-1 in 10 innings.
LR, along with No. 22 Angelo State, are making their 2024 ranking debuts, while Concordia returns at No. 23 after a one-week absence. Along with their victory over the NighHawks, they blanked UNC Pembroke (9-0) and edged Lake Erie (3-2).
The Rambelles, who are no strangers to the top 25, have won 12 straight after dropping their season opener. Last week, ASU opened Lone Star Conference (LSC) play by sweeping Midwestern State on the road (3-0, 3-1, 10-0). The Golden Eagles (6-3) picked up a pair of home wins over then-No. 19 Adelphi (1-0 8 inn., 6-2).
An early top-six matchup in the LSC did not disappoint. West Texas A&M moved up to No. 2 after a three-game home sweep of then-No. 6 UT Tyler. All three games were nailbiters, which included a pair of 4-3 walk-off seventh-inning wins by the Lady Buffs (11-1). The three defeats dropped the Patriots to No. 8.
Tampa and Cal State San Marcos also inched up one spot apiece to No. 3 and 4, while Grand Valley opened its season 2-2 and slipped to No. 5. The Spartans (9-2) swept Lynn in Sunshine Conference play, while the Cougars (9-2) took three-of-four from Stanislaus State in their California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) opener.
No. 6 Mississippi College captured a top-25 Gulf South Conference series opener. The Choctaws (10-1) fell in game one to then-No. 25 UAH, 9-8 in eight innings, before taking the final two in walk-off fashion (8-6 in 11 inn., 4-3).
No. 7 Rogers State, No. 9 Indianapolis and No. 10 Wilmington went a combined 7-1. The Hillcats (10-4) posted a 3-1 mark at the Raising Canes’ Festival hosted by Central Oklahoma. They defeated Southeastern Oklahoma State, Southwestern Oklahoma State and Oklahoma Baptist before falling to new-No. 21 Southern Arkansas, 5-3 in eight innings.
The Greyhounds (6-1) won three games at the Music City Invitational, while the Wildcats (1-0) opened their season with a 4-2 win at Division I Delaware State.
Colorado Christiana and Wingate made the biggest moves up in the rankings, each leaping three spots to No. 11 and 14, respectively. The Cougars (12-1) and Bulldogs (12-3) are currently riding six and 10-game win streaks after each going 4-0 last weekend.
The 2024 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee. The committee consists of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA’s eight regions. Results are through Sunday, Feb. 18. The poll will be revealed on Tuesdays at Noon ET through the remainder of the regular season.
2024 NFCA Division II Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
2/20/24 (Week 2)
|
Rank |
School |
Points |
Record |
Previous Ranking |
|
1 |
North Georgia (16) |
400 |
12-2 |
1 |
|
2 |
West Texas A&M |
382 |
11-1 |
3 |
|
3 |
Tampa |
365 |
9-2 |
4 |
|
4 |
Cal State San Marcos |
340 |
9-2 |
5 |
|
5 |
Grand Valley State |
327 |
2-2 |
2 |
|
6 |
Mississippi College |
312 |
10-1 |
7 |
|
7 |
Rogers State |
303 |
10-4 |
8 |
|
8 |
UT Tyler |
296 |
8-4 |
6 |
|
9 |
Indianapolis |
270 |
6-1 |
10 |
|
10 |
Wilmington |
265 |
1-0 |
9 |
|
11 |
Colorado Christian |
228 |
12-1 |
14 |
|
12 |
Central Oklahoma |
213 |
7-5 |
11 |
|
13 |
West Alabama |
209 |
9-4 |
13 |
|
14 |
Wingate |
179 |
12-3 |
16 |
|
15 |
Nova Southeastern |
169 |
9-2 |
15 |
|
16 |
Western Washington |
160 |
11-0 |
18 |
|
17 |
East Stroudsburg |
154 |
4-4 |
12 |
|
18 |
Pittsburg State |
141 |
9-1 |
17 |
|
19 |
Charleston |
94 |
2-0 |
20 |
|
20 |
Saint Leo |
86 |
8-3 |
21 |
|
21 |
Southern Arkansas |
77 |
9-4 |
23 |
|
22 |
Angelo State |
74 |
12-1 |
RV |
|
23 |
Concordia |
55 |
6-3 |
RV |
|
24 |
Northwest Nazarene |
35 |
4-1 |
24 |
|
25 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
22 |
9-3 |
RV |
New to Poll: No. 22 Angelo State, No. 23 Concordia, No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne
Dropped Out: No. 19 Adelphi (2-8), No. 22 Oklahoma Christian (6-5), No. 25 UAH (8-5).
Receiving Votes: Adelphi (16), Washburn (14), Texas A&M-Kingsville (9), Cal State Dominguez Hills (3), UAH (2).
The 2024 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee. The committee consists of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA’s eight regions. Records reflect games played through Feb. 18.
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