Patriots Enter Softball Poll at No. 15
FLORENCE, SC - The Francis Marion University women's softball team returned to the national ranking s for the first time in two years as the Patriots are No. 15 in this week’s National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll.
Under the direction of third-year head coach Stacey Vallee, the Patriots have won 11 of their last 12 games and are 24-6. Francis Marion plays this weekend in the South Carolina Fast Pitch Classic in Spartanburg. FMU’s opening game will be Friday at 3 p.m. against 10-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne College (22-3).
The Patriot’s last appearance in the Top 25 poll came in 2005 when FMU was ranked 10th and 15th in consecutive polls. Francis Marion also appeared in the NFCA Top 25 poll at the end of the 2003 season, ranking 24th and 19th during consecutive weeks.
Lock Haven University, whom the Patriots lost to 3-1 earlier this month, occupies the No. 1 position. Two other PBC squads are listed in this week's poll.
Francis Marion’s next home game will be a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader against 22nd-ranked Georgia College & State University on March 25.
NFCA Division II Softball Top 25 Poll - March 14
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Poll
is voted on by eight NCAA Division II head coaches representing the
eight NCAA regions. Records are as of Mar. 11. First place votes in parenthesis.
No. Team Record Pts Pvs
1 Lock Haven (4) 5-1 167 1
2 Alabama-Huntsville (1) 21-6 161 2
3 Angelo State (1) 23-5 160 3
4 Cal State Stanislaus 20-4 159 3
5 Columbus State (1) 20-2 157 5
6 SIU-Edwardsville 16-3 136 8
7 Emporia State 15-6 131 6
8 Valdosta State 14-2 123 9
9 Humboldt State 16-3 119 7
10 Lenoir-Rhyne 20-3 99 NR
11 Hawaii-Hilo 22-2 90 16
12 Caldwell 0-0 88 13
12 Gannon 12-2 88 18
14 Northeastern 13-3 85 NR
15 Francis Marion 23-5 64 NR
16 Florida Gulf Coast 32-3 62 21
17 Nebraska-Omaha 2-2 59 14
18 Florida Southern 18-8 51 12
19 Shippensburg 6-4 47 15
20 Lewis 11-4 41 NR
21 St. Edward's 24-13 35 NR
22 Georgia College & State 20-10 29 11
23 Le Moyne 4-9 20 23
23 Barry 19-8 20 24
25 Northwest Missouri State 5-2 17 22
Others receiving votes:
Seattle 15, USC Upstate 13, Bloomsburg 12,
Texas A&M Kingsville 8, LIU-C.W. Post 6,
Mesa State 5, Adelphi 3, Wayne State 3,
Bryant 1, SW Minnesota State 1.
