LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Powered by an 8-0 week, Humboldt State is ranked No. 1 in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll for the fifth straight week. The top five also saw movement as a streaking Angelo State continued its rise up the poll to No. 2, while an equally red-hot Lenoir-Rhyne came in at No. 5.

The Jacks (20-1) reached the 20-win plateau after picking up six California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) road wins over Cal State East Bay and Cal State Dominguez Hill before wrapping up the week with a pair of 3-1 triumphs over Dominican in their first home games of the season. HSU received 15 first-place votes and 399 points.

The Rambelles (24-1), picking up the final first-place vote and 367 points, continued to roll and knock off top-ranked teams by starting the week with a doubleheader sweep of then-No. 3 St. Mary’s (5-1, 10-0). They continued with a three-game Lone Star series sweep at Eastern New Mexico with 4-3, 23-8 and 5-0 victories. Moving up six more spots, Angelo’s game three victory over the Greyhounds extended its winning streak to 20 games, matching a program record that was achieved in 2003 and 2004.

Lenoir-Rhyne (320), who moved to No. 5 this week, ran its program-record winning streak to 19 games with four wins last week. The Bears (25-2) swept a pair of home doubleheaders from Augusta (3-2, 4-2) and USC Aiken (8-0, 11-2).

Inching up one spot to No. 3 is North Georgia (363 points). The Nighthawks (22-6) had a light week due to inclement weather, picking up a Peach Belt win over Montevallo, 6-0. Southern Arkansas (347) fell to No. 4  after splitting a Great American Conference home doubleheader with Southern Nazarene (3-5, 10-1).

Also dropping one position each in the poll were No. 6 Valdosta State and No. 7 Chico State. The Blazers (21-6) fell in a three-game Gulf South series at Shorter (0-10, 5-6, 8-6), while the Wildcats (15-2) lost their opening CCAA game to Stanislaus State before rebounding with three victories to take the series.

St. Mary’s fell five spots following a 2-3 week. The Rattlers (19-6) faced some tough road competition, getting swept by then-No. 8 Angelo State and eking out a Heartland Conference series win at then-No. 20 Lubbock Christian (7-4, 5-8, 2-0).

Central Oklahoma swept a MIAA twinbill from Washburn to stay put at No. 9 and Southern Indiana climbed six spots to No. 10 after completing an 8-0 week at the PFX Spring Games. Improving to 17-3, the Eagles posted four shutouts in Clermont, including a 5-0 triumph over then-No. 7 Grand Valley State.

Returning to the poll this week is No. 17 UMSL, while No. 19 Tampa, No. 23 Limestone and No. 25 Shorter make their first appearances of 2017. Falling out are No. 14 UAH, No. 20 Lubbock Christian, No. 21 North Alabama and No. 25 Southern New Hampshire.

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. Records reflect games played through Sunday, March 12.

2017 NFCA Division II Softball Coaches Poll
Week 5 | March 15, 2017

Dropped Out: No. 14 UAH, No. 20 Lubbock Christian, No. 21 North Alabama, No. 25 Southern New Hampshire.

New to Poll: No. 17 UMSL, No. 19 Tampa, No. 23 Limestone, No. 25 Shorter

Receiving Votes:  Southern New Hampshire (28), Cameron (27), Minnesota State (18), West Chester (16), Lubbock Christian (9), UAH (8), Coker (5), LIU Post (4), Saginaw Valley State (2).

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. Records reflect games played through Sunday, March