Softball cracks NFCA Division III Top 25
INDIANOLA, Iowa – The Simpson softball team broke into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 Poll on Wednesday, debuting at No. 25 after receiving votes in the first two polls of the season.
The Storm (6-0) received four votes in the preseason poll and seven in the first poll of the regular season before breaking through on Wednesday. Simpson received 16 points in the poll.
Simpson swept the competition at the season-opening Finlandia Dome Tournament on Feb. 28-March 1, outscoring opponents 50-6 in the process. Junior transfer Riley Fisher earned IIAC Pitcher of the Week honors after going 3-0 with 1.65 ERA.
The last time the Storm were ranked in the NFCA Top 25 was in 2013, when Simpson came in at No. 24 on May 1.
Simpson makes its annual trip to the Rebel Spring Games in Winter Haven, Fla. beginning Friday, March 6. There, the Storm will play 14 games over a seven-day span and will likely watch head coach Henry Christowski earn win No. 600. He goes into the week with a career mark of 599-200-2 in 20 seasons at the helm.
NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll – March 4, 2015
1. Tufts 2. Salisbury 3. East Texas Baptist 4. Wis.-Whitewater 5. Christopher Newport 6. Trine 7. Texas-Tyler 8. Illinois Wesleyan 9. Rochester 10. Virginia Wesleyan 11. Central (Iowa) 12. St. Thomas (Minn.) 13. Kean 14. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 15. Montclair State 16. Emory 17. Linfield 18. Luther 19. North Central (Ill.) 20. Augustana (Ill.) 21. William Paterson 22. Rowan t-23. Piedmont t-23. DePauw 25. Simpson