Softball | April 01, 2015
SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay softball team remained among the top five teams in the nation, checking in at No. 5 in this week's NFCA NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. CSUMB slipped one spot after going 7–2 last week, including a 5–2 record at the Tournament of Champions.
CSUMB has been ranked in the Top 25 for 20 consecutive polls. It has appeared in the Top 20 in the last 16 of those polls.
Although the national ranking remains relevant for bragging purposes, we're at the point in the season where teams start thinking about regional ranking and positioning for a possible NCAA Tournament berth. The first of those rankings will be released on Apr. 15.
The Otters, who finished the 2014 season ranked No. 1 in the West Region, certainly figure to be in the mix again in 2015. Their first step down that road is trying to win the CCAA Tournament and the automatic NCAA berth that comes with it.
The Otters will face a big challenge in that quest this weekend when they host CCAA leader and No. 24 ranked Sonoma State for four games at the Otter Sports Complex Apr. 3–4. The Seawolves enter the weekend with a 1/2 game lead, having played one fewer game than the rest of the CCAA contenders due to a rained out game versus Cal State San Bernardino in February.
The Otters took three of four regular season games from Sonoma last season before the Seawolves gained a measure of revenge by knocking CSUMB out of the CCAA Tournament. Sonoma went on to advance to the NCAA West Regional I at CSUMB, which the Otters ultimately won.
NFCA/NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll
POLL #7 • APRIL 1, 2015 |
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| No. | SCHOOL [1st place votes] | 2015
RECORD | PTS | LAST |
| 1 | Valdosta State (Ga.) [14] | 32-2 | 399 | 1 |
| 2 | West Texas State [1] | 27-6 | 377 | 2 |
| 3 | Missouri-St. Louis | 25-3 | 373 | 3 |
| 4 | Dixie State (Utah) | 31-6 | 351 | 5 |
| 5 | Cal State Monterey Bay | 30-8 | 320 | 4 |
| 6 | Georgia College | 34-4 | 309 | 8 |
| 7 | St. Mary's University (Texas) | 28-7 | 299 | 10 |
| 8 | North Georgia | 27-5 | 282 | 9 |
| 9 | Emporia State (Kan.) | 26-8 | 265 | |
| 10 | Georgia College | 26-4 | 240 | 13 |
| 11 | University of Indianapolis | 20-6 | 233 | 12 |
| 12 | Angelo State (Texas) | 27-7-1 | 217 | 6 |
| 13 | Alabama-Huntsville | 23-8 | 204 | 7 |
| 14 | Missouri Western | 25-9 | 168 | 17 |
| 15 | Southern Indiana | 23-3 | 162 | 16 |
| 16 | Rollins College (Fla.) | 30-5 | 155 | 14 |
| 17 | Humboldt State | 28-10 | 140 | RV |
| 18 | Augustana College (S.D.) | 25-5 | 130 | 18 |
| T19 | Southern New Hampshire | 11-3 | 107 | 20 |
| T19 | Cal Baptist | 30-6 | 118 | 13 |
| 21 | Anderson College (S.C.) | 25-7 | 70 | 23 |
| 22 | California University (Pa.) | 9-5 | 61 | 22 |
| 23 | Arkansas Tech | 25-7 | 41 | RV |
| 24 | Sonoma State | 27-10 | 38 | 21 |
| 25 | Cameron University (Okla.) | 26-6 | 34 | 25 |
| Others Receiving Votes: Caldwell (24), Ashland (18), LIU Post (12), Barry (11), West Virginia Wesleyan (10), Henderson State (8), Winona State (4), Pace (4), Young Harris (2), Metro State (2), Florida Tech (1).
2015 Otter opponents in italics
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