ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University softball team has moved up in the national rankings and is 22
nd in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) weekly Division III poll.
The Saxons (27-3), winners of three straight and 21of their last 22 games, received 28 votes to move up one spot from 23
rd in last week's poll. It marks the second straight week AU has ascended to its highest spot ever in the national poll; the Saxons' previous high before this season was 25
th in 2010, the year AU made its first ever appearance in the NCAA Division III championship tournament.
Alfred is represented well in the national statistical listings for Division III, both for team and individual rankings. As a team, the Saxons rank fourth in slugging percentage (.597), seventh in batting average (.390), eighth in scoring (8.44 runs per game) and ninth in on-base percentage (.447).
Saxon sophomore third baseman
Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) leads the nation in hitting (.571) and slugging (1.048). She is also second in runs per game (1.67) and eighth in triples per game (0.25).
Senior pitcher-first baseman
Alison Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) ranks in the top 10 in the nation in three categories. She is second in homeruns per game (0.46), fifth in slugging (.985) and ninth in RBIs per game (1.54).
AU is coming off a sweep of an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader at Nazareth Tuesday, which improved the first-place Saxons' league record to 9-1. The Saxons are in action next on Thursday, April 23, when they play an Empire 8 doubleheader at St. John Fisher at 3:30 p.m.