By: Chad Waller, Director of Communications and Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oklahoma City is the No. 1-ranked team for the third-straight week in the 2016 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, announced Tuesday by the national office. The sixth regular-season Top 25 edition will be announced April 26.

Top 25 Highlights (historical information dates back to 2000):
• With 529 total points and 18 first-place votes, Oklahoma City boasts its 31st all-time No. 1 ranking and third-straight this year.
• The Stars have accumulated the most wins in the NAIA this year (48) and own the best win percentage (.980).
• Oklahoma City carries a 19-game win streak into a twinbill against Mid-America Christian (Okla.) on Tuesday. The Stars hold a first-place position in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) standings with a 19-1 league mark, which is a 2.0-game lead over third-ranked St. Gregory’s (Okla.).
• Defending national champion Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) moves up one spot this week to No. 2 with 502 points. The Warhawks acquired the final first-place vote.
• St. Gregory’s is pushed down to the third position.
• No. 4 Campbellsville (Ky.), currently on a 28-game win streak, is now in the top five for the fifth time in the last six editions.
• For the second-straight week, Saint Xavier (Ill.) captured the No. 5 slot.
• A week removed from the largest drop within the Top 25, No. 19 Oregon Tech enjoys the best improvement. The Hustlin’ Owls are up five spots after 6-1 record in their last seven games.
• No. 25 Grand View (Iowa) tumbles down the farthest, sliding south six positions.
• The following teams are newcomers this week: No. 21 Central Methodist (Mo.), No. 23 Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) and No. 24 Rio Grande (Ohio). Both Central Methodist and the Lynx were recognized earlier this year in the Top 25. The RedStorm are mentioned nationally for the first time in school history.
• LSU Alexandria (La.) drops out of the top 10, which snaps a streak of 24-straight polls dating back to March 18, 2014.
• Oklahoma City leads all active schools with 117-straight rankings, falling no lower than 18th during that stretch, which goes back to the start of the 2004 season. William Carey (Miss.) is second with 80-consecutive mentions. Next in line for consecutive streaks is Auburn Montgomery at 46-straight; St. Gregory’s at 44 and Lindsey Wilson at 41.
• Former member California Baptist tops the charts of most all-time No. 1 mentions with 46. Oklahoma City is second all-time with 31, followed by former member Concordia (Calif.) with 24, Simon Fraser (B.C.) with 18 and Thomas (Ga.) with 13.
• Eighteen of 19 conferences are represented in the poll this week.
• The Southern States Athletic Conference leads all leagues with three schools represented: Auburn Montgomery, No. 8 William Carey and No. 13 Martin Methodist (Tenn.). Overall, six conferences send multiple schools into the Top 25.
• Through six polls this year (including Preseason), there have been 39 different ranked teams.

Poll Methodology
• The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions.
• The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place and so on through the list.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low ratings) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appears on.
• Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered “receiving votes”
• For the complete calendar of 2016 Top 25 Polls, click here.

2016 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – April 19 (No. 5)

Dropped from rankings: No. 22 Williams Baptist (Ark.), No. 23 Brenau (Ga.), No. 25 San Diego Christian (Calif.).

Others Receiving Votes: Brenau (Ga.) 102; Friends (Kan.) 81; Indiana Wesleyan 61; Menlo (Calif.) 42; Corban (Ore.) 40; Park (Mo.) 21; Doane (Neb.) 19; San Diego Christian (Calif.) 12; Bethel (Tenn.) 8; Jamestown (N.D.) 7; Williams Baptist (Ark.) 7; Science & Arts (Okla.) 7; Indiana Southeast 3; Bryan (Tenn.) 3; Webber International (Fla.) 3.