Ithaca Remains in Top 25, Fisher Receiving Votes
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) released its weekly Division III poll, with two Empire 8 teams staying put from the previous week’s poll. Ithaca College remained at No. 16, marking the fifth straight week in the top 25. St. John Fisher College, who received four votes last week, received that same amount in the current poll.
The Bombers (32-8) earned their 10
th Empire 8 crown over the weekend, as the hosts defeated St. John Fisher in the title game. The Empire 8 Tournament hosts won their first two games, before falling to Fisher, 4-3, in the opening championship contest. In a winner-take-all game 7, the Bombers scored three runs in the bottom of the 7
th to take down the second-seeded Cardinals, 3-2. Senior Catcher Kelly Robichaud, named the Tournament’s Most Valuable Player, had two home runs in four contests. Senior first baseman Casey Gavey and freshman third baseman Vanessa Brown, along with pitcher Allison Macari were also tabbed to the All-Tournament Team.
Fisher pitcher Lindsey Thayer, along with outfielders Jennifer Knaak and Katie Mazierski were also tabbed All-Tournament selections.
Ithaca earned the Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship and will host Mount Saint Mary, Moravian, and Worcester State in one of 16 regional pods beginning May 13.
Fisher (33-10) earned an at-large bid into the NCAAs and will host Penn State-Behrend and the University of Rochester in a three-team regional.
The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Records through Sunday’s games (May 8) are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses.
NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll – May 11, 2016
| Rank |
Team |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
| 1 |
Virginia Wesleyan (8) |
37-5 |
200 |
1 |
| 2 |
Salisbury |
34-4 |
192 |
2 |
| 3 |
Texas-Tyler |
39-4 |
184 |
3 |
| 4 |
Berry (Ga.) |
36-6 |
176 |
4 |
| 5 |
Luther |
36-2 |
164 |
5 |
|
Texas Lutheran |
41-3 |
164 |
6 |
| 7 |
Birmingham-Southern |
36-8 |
152 |
7 |
| 8 |
East Texas Baptist |
34-8 |
144 |
8 |
| 9 |
Emory |
40-4 |
136 |
9 |
| 10 |
Christopher Newport |
34-7 |
128 |
10 |
| 11 |
Messiah |
39-3 |
120 |
11 |
| 12 |
St. Thomas (Minn.) |
38-6 |
109 |
12 |
| 13 |
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps |
34-8-1 |
104 |
14 |
| 14 |
Alma |
32-8 |
98 |
13 |
| 15 |
Rowan |
35-8 |
84 |
17 |
| 16 |
Ithaca |
32-8 |
75 |
16 |
| 17 |
Moravian |
35-4 |
63 |
19 |
| 18 |
Illinois Wesleyan |
30-10 |
57 |
15 |
| 19 |
Manhattanville |
37-2 |
51 |
20 |
| 20 |
Linfield |
29-13 |
47 |
22 |
| 21 |
Williams |
32-9 |
46 |
21 |
| 22 |
Worcester Polytechnic |
35-7 |
28 |
24 |
| 23 |
Washington (Mo.) |
34-10 |
22 |
23 |
| 24 |
St. Catherine (Minn.) |
31-9 |
16 |
25 |
| 25 |
Chicago |
25-8 |
14 |
|
Others receiving votes:
Whitworth 9, Wheaton (Ill.) 8, Cortland 5 and St. John Fisher 4.