KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the first time in program history, Georgia Gwinnett claims the No. 1 ranking in the NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, announced Tuesday by the national office. The Grizzlies captured 16-of-19 first-place votes and 526 total points.  The Grizzlies entered Tuesday with an 18-1 record, including victories against then-No. 14 Reinhardt (Ga.) and then-No. 13 Ottawa (Kan.). 

No. 2 Marian (Ind.), No. 3 Science & Arts (Okla.) and No. 5 Vanguard (Calif.) also received first-place votes. Six new teams joined the Top 25 – No. 12 Thomas (Ga.), No. 17 USC Beaufort (S.C.), No. 20 Hope International (Calif.), No. 21 Jamestown (N.D.), No. 23 Faulkner (Ala.) and No. 25 Lyon (Ark.). 

The bi-weekly poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions.

— Courtesy of the NAIA

2018 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Poll No. 1 (March 13, 2018)

RANK PRVS. SCHOOL 2018 RECORD POINTS 1 7 Georgia Gwinnett (16) 18-1 526 2 4 Marian (Ind.) (1) 9-1 480 3 25 Science & Arts (Okla.) (1) 14-1 455 4 12 Campbellsville (Ky.) 14-3 453 5 17 Vanguard (Calif.) (1) 24-2 443 6 2 Columbia (Mo.) 7-4 439 7 1 Oklahoma City 10-4 413 8 5 Corban (Ore.) 12-4 402 9 8 William Carey (Miss.) 12-4 389 10 10 Indiana Wesleyan 19-2 369 11 8 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 10-3 355 12 RV Thomas (Ga.) 16-6 354 13 5 Brenau (Ga.) 11-6 308 14 3 Southern Oregon 19-7 290 15 19 Mobile (Ala.) 14-5 257 16 21 Grand View (Iowa) 5-2 242 17 NR USC Beaufort (S.C.) 20-5 238 18 11 St. Francis (Ill.) 8-4 222 19 13 Ottawa (Kan.) 14-6 213 20 NR Hope International (Calif.) 18-2 196 21 RV Jamestown (N.D.) 14-3 192 22 15 Morningside (Iowa) 10-5 176 23 NR Faulkner (Ala.) 18-2 174 24 22 Warner (Fla.) 15-6 110 25 NR Lyon (Ark.) 18-4 106

Others Receiving Votes: Baker (Kan.) 105; Oregon Tech 94; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 80; Central Methodist (Mo.) 64; Rio Grande (Ohio) 52; Reinhardt (Ga.) 50; Georgetown (Ky.) 38; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 22; Aquinas (Mich.) 20; William Jessup (Calif.) 18; Northwestern (Iowa) 11; Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 8; Simpson (Calif.) 6; Taylor (Ind.) 5; Bellevue (Neb.) 3.