2011 NAIA Softball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll Announced
Nov. 9, 2010
Contact: Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Sports Information & Media Services, cwaller@naia.org
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – California Baptist, a team ranked No. 1 for the last 16 polls dating back to the 2009 season, will begin the 2011 campaign in the top spot. The Lancers earned 550 total points and nine first-place votes in the 2011 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. Behind California Baptist by a mere three votes, defending national champ Simon Fraser (B.C.) brings home the second spot with 547 total points and 11 first-place nods. The rest of the top-five is No. 3 William Carey (Miss.), No. 4 Concordia (Ore.) and No. 5 Lubbock Christian (Texas).
The Lancers bring a 64-4 record from last year and advanced to the National Championship semifinals before losing to Oklahoma City. With a 64-4 record last year, California Baptist won the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) championship. California Baptist has been listed in the top spot since March 24, 2009.
Right behind the Lancers is No. 2 Simon Fraser, a team that won its fourth national championship in 2010. No. 3 William Carey earned a 45-15 record last year and was one of nine teams to reach at least 45 victories. No. 4 Concordia looks to repeat as Cascade Collegiate Conference champions as the Cavaliers went 35-7 a year ago. No. 5 Lubbock Christian will battle with No. 10 (tie) Oklahoma City in the Sooner Athletic Conference as both teams were picked to win the league title.
Twelve conferences and unaffiliated groupings are represented in the poll. The Southern States Athletic Conference leads all leagues with seven ranked teams: William Carey, No. 7 Lee (Tenn.), No. 10 (tie) Shorter (Ga.), No. 12 Belhaven (Miss.), No. 18 Brenau (Ga.), No. 23 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.), No. 25 Mobile (Ala.). The GSAC and Association of Independent Institutions each have three ranked squads.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conference/independent/unaffiliated. The first regular season Top 25 will be announced on March 22, 2011. For more information about NAIA softball, click here.
2011 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll – (Nov. 9)
RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2010 RECORD* | TOTAL POINTS |
1 | 1 | California Baptist University (9) | 64-4 | 550 |
2 | 14 | Simon Fraser University (B.C.) (11) | 28-14 | 547 |
3 | 13 | William Carey University (Miss.) | 45-15 | 510 |
4 | 4 | Concordia University (Ore.) | 35-7 | 504 |
5 | 3 | Lubbock Christian University (Texas) | 54-7 | 478 |
6 | 8 | Concordia University (Calif.) | 42-20 | 471 |
7 | 2 | Lee University (Tenn.) | 57-5 | 453 |
8 | 5 | California State University-San Marcos | 40-15 | 431 |
9 | 17 | Trevecca Nazarene University (Tenn.) | 43-18 | 404 |
T10 | 10 | Shorter University (Ga.) | 51-16 | 394 |
T10 | 9 | Oklahoma City University | 45-14 | 394 |
12 | 6 | Belhaven University (Miss.) | 54-10 | 362 |
13 | 11 | Dickinson State University (N.D.) | 34-13 | 334 |
14 | 12 | Marian University (Ind.) | 42-6 | 320 |
T15 | 15 | Bethel College (Ind.) | 48-9-1 | 282 |
T15 | 19 | Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) | 56-15 | 282 |
17 | 23 | Madonna University (Mich.) | 43-12 | 232 |
18 | 16 | Brenau University (Ga.) | 35-13-1 | 228 |
19 | 21 | University of Houston - Victoria (Texas) | 35-17 | 200 |
20 | 25 | Columbia College (Mo.) | 38-18 | 186 |
21 | 22 | MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) | 46-8 | 154 |
22 | RV | Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) | 27-22 | 149 |
23 | 20 | Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.) | 38-16-1 | 148 |
24 | RV | Union University (Tenn.) | 34-16 | 134 |
25 | 18 | University of Mobile (Ala.) | 34-19 | 92 |
Others receiving votes:
Warner University (Fla.) 78; Martin Methodist College (Tenn.) 63; Reinhardt University (Ga.) 54; Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.) 48; William Penn University (Iowa) 46; Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) 44; Central Baptist College (Ark.) 40; Minot State University (N.D.) 39; Saint Xavier University (Ill.) 36; Biola University (Calif.) 25; Simpson University (Calif.) 22; McKendree University (Ill.) 17; Evangel University (Mo.) 16; Morningside College (Iowa) 11; Northwood University (Texas) 7; Indiana University Southeast 5; SCAD Savannah (Ga.) 4; Davenport University (Mich.) 4; Bellevue University (Neb.) 4; Ottawa University (Kan.) 3; Robert Morris University-Illinois 3; Campbellsville University (Ky.) 3; Oregon Institute of Technology 1; Lindenwood University (Mo.) 1; Williams Baptist College (Ark.) 1; Corban University (Ore.) 1; Indiana Institute of Technology 1; Georgetown College (Ky.) 1; Friends University (Kan.) 1; Saint Gregory's University (Okla.) 1; Montreat College (N.C.) 1
^ Ranking taken from final 2010 poll (May 4, 2010)
* Submitted by the raters and reflecting the overall final record from 2010 season
