LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The UC San Diego softball team will begin the 2014 season ranked No. 21 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II preseason poll, released Wednesday.
Defending national champion Central Oklahoma was picked as the unanimous No. 1 selection, picking up all 16 first-place votes to finish with 400 total points. Last season's national runner-up Kutztown followed in second with 376 points.
Grand Valley State was picked third (346 points) and California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) member Humboldt State, who was picked to win the conference for the second straight season, is slated in fourth (340 points), while Armstrong Atlantic State rounded out the top five (338 points).
Valdosta State (303 points), the 2012 national champion, Indianapolis (276 points), West Texas A&M (272 points), Alabama-Huntsville (266 points) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (250 points) followed in sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.
UCSD, who finished unranked in the final poll in 2013, is one of three CCAA schools listed in the rankings. HSU, No. 4, and Cal State Dominguez Hills, who is receiving votes, are the other two.
The Tritons host 18-straight games at home to start the year, starting on Feb. 1 against Western Oregon at noon and concluding on Mar. 1 against Cal State Monterey Bay. CCAA action kicks off for UCSD Feb. 14 against Chico State in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Triton Softball Field.
The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regions.
NFCA Division II Preseason Softball Poll
|
Rank
|
Team
|
2013 Record
|
Totals
|
Final 2013 Poll
|
|
1
|
Central Oklahoma (16)
|
51-11
|
400
|
1
|
|
2
|
Kutztown
|
37-22
|
376
|
2
|
|
3
|
Grand Valley State
|
46-9
|
346
|
4
|
|
4
|
Humboldt State
|
53-14
|
340
|
5
|
|
5
|
Armstrong Atl. State
|
44-10-1
|
338
|
3
|
|
6
|
Valdosta State
|
46-13
|
303
|
7
|
|
7
|
Indianapolis
|
54-8
|
276
|
9
|
|
8
|
West Texas A&M
|
44-13
|
272
|
RV
|
|
9
|
Alabama-Huntsville
|
43-17
|
266
|
11
|
|
10
|
SE Oklahoma State
|
45-9
|
250
|
RV
|
|
11
|
LIU Post
|
47-15
|
220
|
NR
|
|
12
|
St. Martin's
|
41-16
|
194
|
21
|
|
13
|
Tampa
|
33-10
|
189
|
19
|
|
14
|
Texas Woman's Univ.
|
51-14
|
185
|
8
|
|
15
|
North Georgia
|
36-14
|
179
|
NR
|
|
16
|
California (Pa.)
|
38-6
|
148
|
20
|
|
17
|
Angelo State
|
37-18
|
125
|
23
|
|
18
|
Missouri-St. Louis
|
41-13
|
106
|
22
|
|
19
|
Caldwell
|
45-12
|
104
|
24
|
|
20
|
Anderson (SC)
|
40-15
|
102
|
12
|
|
21
|
UC San Diego
|
33-25
|
96
|
NR
|
|
22
|
Augustana (SD)
|
32-17
|
78
|
NR
|
|
23
|
Dixie State
|
40-14
|
47
|
RV
|
|
24
|
Barry
|
34-20
|
41
|
RV
|
|
25
|
Columbus State
|
41-18
|
40
|
18
|
Dropped Out of Final 2013 Poll: No. 6 Molloy (53-14), No. 10 Winona State (37-14), No. 13 Cal State Dominguez Hills (37-24), No. 14 Adelphi (41-19), No. 15 St. Edward's (33-23), No. 16 Fort Hays State (47-12), No. 17 West Chester (37-21), No. 25 Minnesota State Mankato (40-12).
Others Receiving Votes: Bloomsburg (36), St. Mary's TX (27), Molloy (23), Minnesota State Mankato (20), New Haven (16), St. Edward's (14), Adelphi (13), St. Leo (8), Winona State (6), Cal State Dominguez Hills (4), Colorado Mesa (4), Hawaii-Hilo (4), West Chester (2), West Virginia State (2).
#TritonsRising
