Storm crack top 25, debut at No. 22
INDIANOLA, Iowa - After spending the last four weeks just outside the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 Poll, the Simpson softball team landed at No. 22 in the latest rankings, released Wednesday, April 6.
The poll is selected by Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions and reflect results through Sunday, April 3. The current rankings do not reflect Tuesday's losses to Central.
The Storm are 21-6 overall after the Iowa Conference-opening losses to the Dutch, who were ranked No. 20 at the time. Prior to that, Simpson was on a five-game winning streak which included doubleheader sweeps of Iowa Wesleyan and Wis.-La Crosse. Simpson lost to Central 6-5 in game one and 3-1 in game two.
Simpson looks for its first conference win Saturday, April 9 when Dubuque visits Simpson Softball Complex.
| NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll - April 6, 2016 | |||
| Rank | Team | Record | Previous |
| 1 | Texas-Tyler (8) | 28-2 | 1 |
| 2 | Emory | 31-1 | 2 |
| 3 | Texas Lutheran | 29-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Luther | 23-1 | 7 |
| 5 | Virginia Wesleyan | 21-4 | 8 |
| 6 | Salisbury | 21-4 | 9 |
| 7 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps | 22-5-1 | 10 |
| 8 | Christopher Newport | 23-4 | 10 |
| 9 | Illinois Wesleyan | 13-3 | 13 |
| 10 | Berry | 24-6 | 11 |
| 11 | East Texas Baptist | 24-6 | 5 |
| 12 | Alma | 17-5 | 15 |
| 13 | Washington (Mo.) | 23-7 | 6 |
| 14 | Birmingham-Southern | 25-6 | 16 |
| 15 | Rowan | 17-5 | t18 |
| 16 | St. John Fisher | 13-3 | 12 |
| 17 | St. Catherine | 14-1 | t18 |
| 18 | Messiah | 19-2 | 22 |
| 19 | Moravian | 19-3 | 21 |
| t20 | St. Thomas (Minn.) | 15-3 | t23 |
| t20 | Trine | 14-7 | 14 |
| 22 | Simpson | 21-4 | RV |
| 23 | Heidelberg | 15-5 | 17 |
| 24 | Cortland | 15-3 | RV |
| 25 | Wheaton (Ill.) | 16-4 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Manhattanville 11, Worcester Polytechnic 8, Whitworth 7, Central (Iowa) 4, Widener 3, MIT 2.
