2020-21 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 – Poll 1 (March 10, 2021)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Southern Oregon claims the top spot for 2nd edition of the 2021 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25. The defending national championship start the season off with a 15-1 record returning seven started from the 2019 national championship team. Undefeated Science & Arts (Okla.) who garnered three first place votes in the No. 2 spot while Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), Oklahoma City and Marian (Ind.) rounded-out the top five.
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 rating) 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 appear on.
- Teams that receive only one point on the ballot are not considered “receiving votes”
- The frequency of the polls is bi-weekly. This policy was approved by the National Administrative Council (NAC) prior to the 2016-17 academic season. This change allows raters the opportunity to consider a larger body of work between rating periods.
- For the complete Top 25 calendar, click here.
2021 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Preseason Poll 1 (March 10, 2021)
| RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL [1st PLACE VOTES] | RECORD | FINAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Southern Oregon [15] | 15-1 | 496 |
| 2 | 2 | Science & Arts (Okla.) [3] | 11-0 | 484 |
| 3 | 3 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 12-0 | 466 |
| 4 | 4 | Oklahoma City | 6-1 | 450 |
| 5 | 5 | Marian (Ind.) | 4-4 | 396 |
| 6 | 10 | Georgia Gwinnett | 11-3 | 395 |
| 7 | NR | Oregon Tech | 14-0 | 377 |
| 8 | 21 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 16-4 | 359 |
| 9 | NR | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 12-1 | 356 |
| 10 | 8 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 8-4 | 340 |
| 11 | 7 | Mobile (Ala.) | 7-8 | 323 |
| 12 | 15 | Indiana Wesleyan | 7-1 | 295 |
| 13 | 12 | William Carey (Miss.) | 15-5 | 282 |
| 14 | 16 | Central Baptist (Ark.) | 8-3 | 280 |
| 14 | 13 | Hope International (Calif.) | 9-1 | 280 |
| 16 | 11 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 10-6 | 255 |
| 17 | 14 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 4-0 | 251 |
| 18 | 20 | Morningside (Iowa) | 14-3 | 248 |
| 19 | 19 | Warner (Fla.) | 13-5 | 211 |
| 20 | 6 | Columbia (Mo.) | 6-5 | 191 |
| 21 | NR | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 18-4 | 159 |
| 22 | 24 | Indiana Southeast (Ind.) | 11-1 | 157 |
| 23 | 22 | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 6-0 | 153 |
| 24 | 9 | Truett McConnell (Ga.) | 6-4 | 132 |
| 25 | NR | Southeastern (Fla.) | 13-6 | 116 |
Receiving Votes: Ottawa (Kan.) 103, College of Idaho 72, Texas A&M Texarkana 58, Concordia (Neb.) 47, Grand View (Iowa) 38, Taylor (Ind.) 30, Coastal Georgia 26, Simpson (Calif.) 24, Freed-Hardeman (Texas) 21, Corban (Ore.) 15, Cottey (Mo.) 7, Valley City State (N.C.) 5, Madonna (Mich.) 3
