Lubbock Christian (Texas) No. 1 in Softball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll
Jan. 27, 2009
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Lubbock Christian (Texas) softball team is the favorite in the 2009 NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll. The Lady Chaparrals, who won their first national title last year in their inaugural season, received 20 of the possible 23 first place votes and 650 total points.
LCU returns all but one player from last year's national championship team. The Lady Chaps will be led by four returning seniors, including infielders Raquel Hawkins, Honda Rodriguez and Ginalee Davis and pitcher/outfielder Kelly Griego.
Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) earned the other three first place votes and compiled 630 total points. The Sea Lions will return three key players from last season, including seniors Melissa Gomez and Kayla Luttmers and junior Tyler Lent and Jell Schaefer.
California Baptist received 608 total points at No. 3 while Saint Gregory's (Okla.) earned 581 total points at No. 4 and Dickinson State (N.D.) compiled 550 total points at No. 5.
Mobile (Ala.), last year's national tournament runner-up, received 546 total points for the sixth spot. Oklahoma City (534 points), Simon Fraser (B.C.) (492 points), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) (444 points) and Columbia (Mo.) (438 points) rounded out the top-10.
The first regular season poll will be released on Tuesday, March 17.
2009 NAIA Softball Preseason Top 25 Poll - Jan. 27
RANK | 2008 FINALRANK | SCHOOL | 1ST PLACE VOTES | TOTAL POINTS |
1 | 9 | Lubbock Christian (Texas) | 20 | 650 |
2 | 2 | Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) | 3 | 630 |
3 | 1 | California Baptist |
| 608 |
4 | 6 | Saint Gregory's (Okla.) |
| 581 |
5 | 8 | Dickinson State (N.D.) |
| 550 |
6 | 4 | Mobile (Ala.) |
| 546 |
7 | 3 | Oklahoma City |
| 534 |
8 | 14 | Simon Fraser (B.C.) |
| 492 |
9 | 10 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
| 444 |
10 | 12 | Columbia (Mo.) |
| 438 |
11 | 24 | Lee (Tenn.) |
| 431 |
12 | 13 | Bethel (Ind.) |
| 429 |
13 | 11 | William Carey (Miss.) |
| 409 |
14 | 15 | Houston - Victoria (TX) |
| 366 |
15 | 7 | Shorter (Ga.) |
| 344 |
16 | 17 | Martin Methodist (Tenn.) |
| 334 |
17 | 20 | Oregon Tech |
| 318 |
18 | 16 | Warner (Fla.) |
| 301 |
19 | 18 | SCAD (Ga.) |
| 232 |
20 | 19 | Biola (Calif.) |
| 187 |
21 | 22 | California State-San Marcos |
| 178 |
22 | 23 | Georgetown (Ky.) |
| 166 |
23 | RV | Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) |
| 160 |
24 | RV | Central Methodist (Mo.) |
| 153 |
25 | NR | William Penn (Iowa) |
| 106 |
Others receiving votes: Walsh (Ohio) 98; Bellevue (Neb.) 83; Concordia (Ore.) 73; Morningside (Iowa) 64; Indiana Southeast 63; Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) 60; Saint Xavier (Ill.) 57; Brenau (Ga.) 41; William Woods (Mo.) 40; Oklahoma Christian 34; College of Idaho 21; Madonna (Mich.) 18; Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 13; Evangel (Mo.) 11; Bacone (Okla.) 8; Grand View (Iowa) 7; Faulkner (Ala.) 6; Concordia (Calif.) 4; Milligan (Tenn.) 3; Belhaven (Miss.) 3; Minot State (N.D.) 1; Aquinas (Mich.) 1; St. Francis (Ill.) 1; Park (Mo.) 1; Lindenwood (Mo.) 1; Friends (Kan.) 1; Ohio Dominican 1; Campbellsville (Ky.) 1; Notre Dame (Ohio) 1; Northwood (Texas) 1.
