LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The top seven teams remain unchanged and two teams cracked the top 10 in this week’s NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll.
Top-ranked Salisbury (32-2) picked up right where it left off after an 11-day break, adding six more wins to its ledger — four in run-rule fashion — to keep a firm hold on the No. 1 spot for a seventh straight week. Defending national champion Christopher Newport (20-4) remained second after doubleheader sweeps of William Peace and Ferrum and a split with Lynchburg.
No. 3 Texas Lutheran (30-4) extending its win streak to 14 with a three-game sweep of Trinity, while No. 4 Berry (32-4) wrapped up its regular season with a doubleheader sweep of Piedmont and a three-game sweep of Millsaps to head into the postseason having won 18 straight. Fifth-ranked Trine (23-3) rolled in its four games by a 38-0 margin, while sixth-ranked Linfield (35-3) and No. 7 Case Western Reserve (27-2) also kept winning.
New No. 8 Bethel (17-3) moved up three spots this week after a sweep of then-No. 13 Saint Benedict among its four victories. No. 14 Rowan and 15th-ranked Concordia (Wis.) both hit double figures in their win streaks, while Rochester (21-5) made the biggest jump of the week, going from tied for 25th to 20 on the strength of an eight-win week that tied the program record for consecutive victories at 18.
The NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll is selected by 10 NCAA Division III head coaches representing the 10 NCAA regions. Current 2023 records are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses. Weekly polls continue through May 16. A final poll will be released on June 13 following completion of the national championship.
NFCA Division III Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll
|
Rank |
Team |
Points |
2023 Record |
Previous |
|
1 |
Salisbury (10) |
250 |
32-2 |
1 |
|
2 |
Christopher Newport |
240 |
20-4 |
2 |
|
3 |
Texas Lutheran |
230 |
30-3 |
3 |
|
4 |
Berry |
220 |
32-4 |
4 |
|
5 |
Trine |
210 |
23-3 |
5 |
|
6 |
Linfield |
200 |
35-3 |
6 |
|
7 |
Case Western Reserve |
190 |
27-2 |
7 |
|
8 |
Bethel |
180 |
17-3 |
11 |
|
9 |
Tufts |
170 |
26-2 |
8 |
|
10 |
East Texas Baptist |
160 |
26-5 |
12 |
|
11 |
Birmingham-Southern |
150 |
25-7 |
14 |
|
12 |
Randolph-Macon |
140 |
25-7 |
9 |
|
13 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
130 |
24-8 |
10 |
|
14 |
Rowan |
120 |
27-3 |
15 |
|
15 |
Concordia (Wis.) |
110 |
20-3 |
17 |
|
16 |
Wisconsin-Oshkosh |
100 |
25-1 |
18 |
|
17 |
Saint Benedict (Minn.) |
90 |
14-4 |
13 |
|
18 |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
80 |
21-9 |
19 |
|
19 |
Pfeiffer |
70 |
25-9 |
20 |
|
20 |
Rochester |
60 |
21-5 |
T25 |
|
21 |
Central (Iowa) |
50 |
22-4 |
21 |
|
22 |
Transylvania |
40 |
19-8 |
16 |
|
23 |
Hardin-Simmons |
19 |
23-7 |
23 |
|
24 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
18 |
22-3 |
T25 |
|
25 |
Coe |
15 |
24-4 |
22 |
Others receiving votes: Huntingdon 3, Luther 2, Greensboro 1 and St. Thomas (Texas) 1.
Dropped out: None.
2023 NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee
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