NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll - April 6, 2011

Alabama-Huntsville Remains No. 1 In Latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll
April 6, 2011

STARKVILLE, Miss. – For the second straight week, Alabama-Huntsville is the No. 1 softball team in the nation, according to the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 poll that was released by the Association on Wednesday.

The Chargers (28-1-1) are currently riding a 15-game win streak and received 15 of the possible 16 first-place votes in this week’s poll.  Midwestern State (35-4) moved up one spot this week, from third to second, and received the remaining first-place vote.

In the rest of the top five, North Georgia (36-8) pushed ahead one spot to take over third, while Valdosta State (20-4) also moved up one, from fifth to fourth.  Rounding out the first five in this week’s poll was Minnesota State Mankato (27-4), who cracks the top five since May of 2007.

UC San Diego gained its highest rank of the year this week by moving from 17^th to ninth, while Nebraska Omaha made tied the Tritons for the biggest move of the week, shooting up eight spots from 21^st to 13^th.

Last week’s final two teams in the poll, Shippensburg (22-8) and Kutztown (30-7), both fell out of the rankings this week, but both still received votes.  Taking their places was one team returning to the poll after being gone for over a month and another making its 2011 debut.  California (PA) (19-7) returned to the fray at No. 24 after a five–week absence, while Cal State Chico (20-8) checked in at No. 25 for the first time since the final poll of 2010.

The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches, two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Records as of Apr. 3, 2011 are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses.

C.W. Post 35, Lewis 24, Shippensburg 21, Columbus St. 19, Kutztown 15, St. Mary’s (TX) 15, Tiffin 14, West Virginia Wesleyan 11, Wayne St. (NE) 9, Molloy 7, Sonoma St. 3, Saginaw Valley 2, Southeastern Oklahoma St. 1