Ithaca Breaks Into NFCA Top 25; Fisher Holds at No. 2
NFCA Poll
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Ithaca College softball program found itself nationally ranked when the National Fastpitch Coaches Association released its weekly Division III Top 25 Poll. St. John FIsher College maintained its No. 2 ranking from preseason poll.
Texas-Tyler remains atop the poll will all eight first-place votes after starting the season a perfect 13-0.
The nationally-ranked Cardinals will begin its 2017 season in a few short days as they head south to Florida for 10 games beginning with contests against Emerson College and Saint Joseph's (ME) Sunday, March 5 at the ESPN Sports Complex in Kissimmee.
Fisher, which is coming off the greatest season in program history in which the Cardinals posted a record 41 wins (41-12) en route to a Super Regional Championship and the program's first-ever appearance in the Division III World Series, returns 16 student-athletes from last year's squad including three All-Region players and an All-American.
With just over a week before the Bombers start their season in California, the squad sits at 25th in the poll, garnering 19 points.
Ithaca climbed to as high as 16th last season, where they stayed for a total of three weeks in the final stretch of 2016. Last year's team finished with 35-10 overall record, the most wins in a season since 2008 when Ithaca made it to the NCAA World Series.
The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the right NCAA regions.
The Bombers open up their season with a doubleheader against Whittier College on Sunday, March 12. The first game is slated for a noon start. Over the course of the California spring break trip, Ithaca will play five doubleheaders.