LOUISVILLE, Ky. – North Georgia, riding a 23-game win streak, climbs to No. 1 in this week’s 2023 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. The red-hot NightHawks (24-1) captured 14 first-place votes and 398 points as they return to No. 1 for the first time since March 31, 2021.

UNG picked up four more victories last week with a pair of non-conference doubleheader sweeps at home. The NightHawks edged Barry in a pair of one-run affairs with 2-1 and 3-2 victories on March 6 and a day later knocked off Christian Brothers, 6-0 and 11-2. The victories brought their unblemished record at “The Hill” to 22-0 in 2023. Another significant milestone was reached against Barry as head coach Mike Davenport hit the 1,000 career wins mark with the sweep.

Previous-No. 1 Rogers State comes in at No. 2. The Hillcats (21-2) went 3-1 last week, splitting a non-conference twinbill with Arkansas Tech before sweeping Northeastern State on the road in their Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association opener.

No. 3 Tampa, No. 4 UT Tyler,  idle No. 5 Cal State San Marcos, No. 6 Central Oklahoma and No. 7 Grand Valley State held to their rankings for another week. The Spartans (16-1) suffered their first defeat of the season, splitting a non-conference road doubleheader at new-No. 10 Valdosta State. They also won four matchups at home, sweeping twinbills from Southwest Minnesota State and Chestnut Hill.

The Patriots (25-4) swept UT Permian Basin in a mid-week Lone Star Conference road series and won three of four in a weekend trip to Sunshine State Conference territory. UT Tyler split at RV Nova Southeastern and swept Barry.

The Bronchos (18-3) swept a pair of MIAA doubleheaders on the road. UCO topped Emporia State before knocking off then-No. 18 Washburn in a top-20 matchup. The Lakers (15-2) posted a 9-1 mark at the Spring Games in Florida. 

UAH grabbed the No. 8 spot from UIndy. The Chargers (19-4) swept three games from West Florida in Gulf South Conference (GSC) action, while the ninth-ranked Greyhounds (19-3) went 3-1 at the Spring Games with wins over Minnesota-Crookston, D’Youville and Hillsdale. Additionally, both of the previous-mentioned programs’ head coaches hit milestones over the weekend. UAH skipper Les Stuedeman reached the 1,200-win mark, while UIndy’s Melissa Frost collected her 800^th career victory.

Valdosta State took over the No. 10 ranking. Along with their split with third-ranked Tampa, the Blazers (19-4) defeated Barry in eight innings and swept West Georgia in GSC play.

Lenoir-Rhyne returned to the Top 25 at No. 23 and Mississippi College joined the rankings at No. 25.

The 2023 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee. The committee consists of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA’s eight regions. Records reflect games played through March 5, 2023.

2023 NFCA Division II Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll

March 14 (Week 5)

New to Poll: No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne, No. 25 Mississippi College

Dropped Out: No. 24 Anderson, No. 25 Oklahoma Christian

Receiving Votes: Oklahoma Christian (18), Wilmington (18), Saginaw Valley State (4), Nova Southeastern (3).

The 2023 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee. The committee consists of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA’s eight regions. Records reflect games played through March 12, 2023.

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