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Virginia Wesleyan still atop ever-tightening NFCA Division III Top 25
Category: NCAA III News
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It's becoming tougher to separate the top teams in the NFCA Division III Top 25, but there's no change at the top, with two-time defending national champion Virginia Wesleyan University at No. 1 for a third-straight week and the 28th time in the last 29 weeks.
The (34-3) Marlins have now won 15 of their last 16. They went 3-1 last week, including a run-rule sweep of Shenandoah and a split with Ferrum. Two-time reigning Schutt Sports/NFCA Division III National Player of the Year Hanna Hull fanned 15 Ferrum batters while tossing a no-hitter in Virginia Wesleyan's 5-0 victory on Saturday.
St. Thomas (33-5) and Williams (26-4) both went unbeaten last week to rank ahead of East Texas Baptist (33-4), which slipped two spots to fourth after dropping two of three to longtime American Southwest Conference rival Texas-Tyler, who is moving to Division II next season.
Nine teams are tied for four spots in the Top 25. Illinois Wesleyan (27-6) and Trine (26-4) are deadlocked at No. 6; Luther (28-5) and Texas Lutheran (27-7) occupy the No. 13 position; Kean (32-5), Manhattanville (33-2) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (22-7-1) share 16th; and Brandeis (27-2-1) and Lynchburg (30-10) are 20th.
Meanwhile, a patented late-season surge helped DePauw (22-10) break into the rankings this week at No. 25. The Tigers improved their record to 14-2 in April with their fifth straight victory in Monday's sweep at Wittenberg.
The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Current 2019 records are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses.
NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll – April 24, 2019
2019 Record
Virginia Wesleyan (8)
East Texas Baptist
Illinois Wesleyan
Birmingham-Southern
Christopher Newport
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Texas Lutheran
Manhattanville
Others receiving votes: Piedmont 7, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 6, Wisconsin-Eau Claire 6, Mount Saint Joseph 5, Geneseo 4, St. Catherine 3, Wisconsin-Whitewater 2, and Endicott 1.
Dropped out: Millikin, New Paltz, Pomona-Pitzer, Wartburg and Whitworth.
* NOTE: Texas-Tyler is reclassifying to NCAA Division II, and Pfeiffer continues the process of going from Division II to Division III. Neither is eligible for the NCAA Division III Championship.