LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Still a few days removed from its 2022 opener, the West Liberty University softball team checked in at No. 25 on Tuesday when the National Fastpitch Coaches Association NFCA released its initial NCAA Division II poll of the regular season.
Coach Herb Minch’s two-time defending Mountain East Conference champion Hilltoppers received 42 votes to tie Alabama-Huntsville (8-1) for 25th in the national coaches’ vote. West Liberty is one of only three teams to appear in this week’s poll before making their season debuts, joining No. 7 Grand Valley State (Mich.) and No. 18 Georgian Court (N.J.).
Preseason No. 1 UT-Tyler was a unanimous pick for No. 1 after jetting out of the blocks on a 9-0 start. Two Georgia-based squads – Valdosta State (6-2) and North Georgia (8-2) – moved into the next two spots with unbeaten Concordia-Irvine (12-0) and defending national champion Texas A&M (6-2) rounding out the Top 5.
West Liberty was the only Atlantic Region team to crack the Top 25 this week. Perennial Atlantic Region power Kutztown was among teams receiving votes.
Coach Minch and the Hilltoppers are scheduled to make their 2022 debuts on Sunday when they host Clarion (Pa.) in a non-conference doubleheader at the WLU Softball Complex. First pitch is set for noon.
SOFTBALL
2022 NFCA Division II Top 25
(February 15, 2022)
Team Pts W-L Rank
1. UT-Tyler (16) 400 9-0 1
2. Valdosta State 371 6-2 7
3. North Georgia 364 8-2 5
4. Concordia-Irvine 363 12-0 10
5. West Texas A&M 329 6-2 4
6. Minnesota State 310 4-1 11
7. Grand Valley State 308 0-0 6
8. Augustana 292 4-3 2
9. Angelo State 246 10-1 18
10. Indianapolis 225 3-1 12
11. Auburn-Montgomery 219 5-2 14
12. CSU-Monterey Bay 214 6-1 NR
13. Lincoln Memorial 196 6-2 13
14. Rogers State 194 10-1 RV
15. Oklahoma Christian 185 6-2 15
16. Central Oklahoma 138 7-2 20
17. Tampa 127 5-3 RV
18. Georgian Court 124 0-0 19
19. Chico State 97 8-2 NR
20. Texas A&M-Kingsville 89 8-1 RV
21. West Florida 80 5-3 17
22. Biola 74 5-4 3
23. Anderson 56 11-1 RV
24. Saint Anselm 48 1-4 8
25. WEST LIBERTY 42 0-0 24
(tie) Alabama-Huntsville 42 8-1 23
Also receiving votes: Texas A&M-Commerce 30, Harding 14, Barry 9, Kutztown 8, Carson-Newman 6.