LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In a key nationally-ranked matchup, No. 1 Tampa topped No. 11 Saint Leo and will enter its final week of the regular season No. 1 in the 2023 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. 

The Spartans (37-3) bounced back from a 2-1 game-one defeat, their first at home this season, with two wins – 1-0, 5-1 - over the Lions (40-9). With the two victories, UT clinched the Sunshine State Conference regular-season title with one week left in the season. The Spartans also captured their ninth straight SSC series.

No. 2 North Georgia and No. 3 UT Tyler held on to their spots, while Central Oklahoma leaped UAH for the No. 4 position. The Nighthawks (52-6), became one of three programs to hit the 50-win plateau after coming out of the loser’s bracket of the Peach Belt Conference opening round to advance to the PBC Championship series this upcoming weekend. UNG will face off against new-No. 19 Columbus State, who won all three of its games in the other half of the opening round.

UT Tyler extended its win streak to 28 games to close out the regular season with its program record 51^st win. The Patriots (51-4) swept Texas A&M International to cap off an undefeated (25-0) regular season at home and will host the Lone Star Conference Tournament at Irwin Ballpark.

The Bronchos (43-6) swept their final two conference doubleheaders, including a key sweep of RV Missouri Southern, that gave UCO the outright Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) regular-season crown and the top seed at the MIAA Tournament in Topeka, Kan.

UAH (40-9) dropped two-of-three to Auburn-Montgomery in its final Gulf South Conference series of the season and heads into the conference tournament as the top seed.

The top two teams in the Midwest Region, Indianapolis (47-6) and Grand Valley State (38-4), continued to stand pat at No. 6 and No. 7, and will be the top seeds at their respective league tournaments.

Colorado Christian moved ahead of Rogers State for the No. 8 ranking. The Cougars (52-4) closed out the regular season with a four-game sweep of Fort Lewis and is headed to Lakewood, Colo. as the top seed for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament. The Hillcats (41-10) went 3-1 in their final two MIAA twinbills and is the No. 3 seed at the league tournament.

West Texas A&M (46-5) jumped into the No. 10 spot after sweeping Cameron and securing the No. 2 seed at the LSC Tournament.

Missouri Southern (36-11) reentered the rankings at No. 25 and will be the No. 2 seed at the MIAA tournament, while Valdosta State slipped out of the poll.

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 April 23, 2023.

2023 NFCA Division II Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll

May (Week 12)

New to Poll: No. 25 Missouri Southern

Dropped Out: No. 22 Valdosta State

Receiving Votes: Wilmington (15), Valdosta State (14), Nova Southeastern (10), Southern Arkansas (5), West Chester (5), Auburn Montgomery (2), East Stroudsburg (1).

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 April 30, 2023.

NFCA D2 Top 25 Poll Committee

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