Most times when you can win a series over the nation's sixth-ranked team it will move you up in the rankings. That is what has happened for Incarnate Word's softball Cardinals.
Last weekend UIW won a series 2-1 over West Texas A&M in Lone Star Conference South Division action. As a result the Cardinals this week received votes in the poll conducted by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
The poll lists 25 teams in order then includes a group which 'received votes'. By point count Incarnate Word would be 30th. This is the first time UIW has been included.
This coming weekend UIW goes from one hot team to one even hotter. The Cardinals will be at Angelo State for an LSC three-game set. And in this poll Angelo State held onto its number one ranking for the third straight week. ASU is 23-1 for the year and atop the Lone Star.
Additionally the Lone Star Conference is represented by Midwestern State at five and West Texas A&M at 10.
The NFCA poll has two voters from each of the eight NCAA Division II regions. UIW plays in the South Central.
MARCH 16 NFCA POLL
RANK TEAM RECORD POINTS LAST WEEK
1) Angelo State 23-1 399 1
2) Valdosta State 10-2 368 3
3) Alabama-Huntsville 14-1-1 361 4
4) North Georgia 22-6 347 2
5) Midwestern State 24-2 319 9
6) Arkansas-Monticello 21-1 278 11
7) Western Washington 16-1 277 18
8) Winona State 11-2 258 8
9) Hawaii Pacific 12-4 250 5
10) West Texas A&M 19-4 233 6
11) Kutztown 15-3 199 12
12) Indianapolis 9-4-1 193 7
13) Tampa 20-3 183 15
14) Augustana (SD) 9-0 181 13
15) West Virginia Wesleyan 17-3 175 NR
16) Lenoir-Rhyne 19-6 167 14
17) Rollins 22-1 144 17
18) Minnesota State-Mankato 10-3 123 24
19) Bloomsburg 18-3 119 23
20) California-San Diego 20-6 103 10
21) Dowling 2-0 89 19
22) Missouri Western 15-3 82 20
23) Nebraska-Omaha 14-4 72 22
24) Armstrong Atlantic 18-4 60 RV
25) Indiana (Pa) 10-2 54 NR
Dropped Out: No. 16 Lock Haven, No. 21 Flagler, No. 25 Saginaw Valley
Other Receiving Votes: Flagler 34, Saginaw Valley 29, Lock Haven 28, C. W. Post 19, Columbus State 14, Incarnate Word 9, California (Pa) 6, California State-Dominguez Hills 5, Sonoma State 5, Concordia-St. Paul 5, Northern Kentucky 4, Emporia State 3, Lewis 3, Molloy 1, Tusculum 1.
