National Title Run Helps West Texas A&M Finish 2014 at No. 1 in the Final NFCA Division II Poll
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – A successful run to the program’s first national championship at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va., helped West Texas A&M (60-7) finish off an historic campaign as the unanimous choice for No. 1 in the final 2014 NFCA Division II rankings.
Holding down the top position for the majority of the season, the Lady Buffs received all 16 possible first-place votes following their unbeaten run through the NCAA Division II Softball Championship, finishing 16 points ahead of national runner-up and second-ranked Valdosta State (48-15) in the last poll of the campaign. During what was a scoreless national title tilt until the seventh inning, the Blazers battled WT A&M to the very end, dropping a hard-fought 3-2 decision in the championship game.
The remainder of the national top eight consisted of this year’s participants at the NCAA Division II Softball Championship. National semifinalists Dixie State (51-10) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (45-20) held down slots No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. Armstrong Atlantic (36-15), West Chester (42-22), Wayne State (MI) (46-12) and LIU Post (50-11) rounded out the top eight in that order.
A berth in NCAA Super Regionals was enough to help St. Mary’s (TX) (50-14) leap from 14th into the ninth position, while North Georgia (47-11) rounded out the top 10 after losing two-of-three contests during a hard-fought super regional against national tournament participant Armstrong Atlantic.
New entrants to the final poll included No. 4 Southeastern Oklahoma State, No. 6 West Chester, No. 7 Wayne State (MI), No. 17 West Virginia Wesleyan (46-15) and No. 25 Rollins (39-13).
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. Final 2014 records are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses.
NFCA Division II Softball Final Poll – May 30, 2014
|
Rank |
Team |
2014 Record |
Totals |
Last Poll |
|
1 |
West Texas A&M (16) |
60-7 |
400 |
1 |
|
2 |
Valdosta State |
48-15 |
384 |
16 |
|
3 |
Dixie State |
51-10 |
360 |
15 |
|
4 |
Southeastern Okla. St. |
45-20 |
352 |
NR |
|
5 |
Armstrong Atl. State |
36-15 |
341 |
19 |
|
6 |
West Chester |
42-22 |
316 |
NR |
|
7 |
Wayne State (MI) |
46-12 |
308 |
RV |
|
8 |
LIU Post |
50-11 |
291 |
20 |
|
9 |
St. Mary's (TX) |
50-14 |
249 |
14 |
|
10 |
North Georgia |
47-11 |
237 |
2 |
|
11 |
Cal State Monterey Bay |
48-12 |
233 |
3 |
|
12 |
Alabama-Huntsville |
48-12 |
229 |
8 |
|
13 |
Missouri-St. Louis |
49-8 |
204 |
6 |
|
14 |
Caldwell |
45-9 |
165 |
9 |
|
15 |
Augustana (SD) |
46-15 |
160 |
23 |
|
16 |
Angelo State |
41-16 |
150 |
7 |
|
17 |
West Virginia Wesleyan |
46-15 |
136 |
RV |
|
18 |
Tampa |
33-8 |
123 |
5 |
|
19 |
California Baptist |
46-13 |
115 |
21 |
|
20 |
Emporia State |
49-14 |
98 |
18 |
|
21 |
Indianapolis |
44-13 |
92 |
13 |
|
22 |
Anderson (SC) |
43-12 |
74 |
17 |
|
23 |
California (Pa.) |
37-7 |
46 |
12 |
|
24 |
Winona State |
48-9 |
36 |
10 |
|
25 |
Rollins |
39-13 |
25 |
RV |
Dropped Out of Poll: No. 4 Humboldt State (46-16), No. 11 Minnesota State Mankato (43-13), No. 22 Shippensburg (36-17), No. 24 Lenoir-Rhyne (40-15), No. 25 Truman State (43-13).
Others Receiving Votes: Texas Woman’s (20), Central Washington (14), Humboldt State (13), Truman State (8), Minnesota State Mankato (6), Wingate (6), Southern New Hampshire (5), Shippensburg (3), UVa-Wise (1).
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