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Sports News: Spring 2003

Wednesday, April 2, 2003

MORAVIAN SOFTBALL MOVES UP TO 18TH IN NFCA/USA TODAY TOP 25 POLL

COLUMBIA, MO --- The Moravian College softball team has moved up two spaces to 18th in the 2003 USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division III Top 25 Poll released Wednesday. This is the first poll of the season.

Emory (GA) University received eight first-place votes in the poll for 198 points while Simpson (IA) College had two first place votes and 189 points. Both schools were 19-1 as of March 31st. The Greyhounds received 48 points.

Moravian, under the direction of ninth year head coach John Byrne (275-105), are currently 14-4 this season and have yet to start defending their Commonwealth Conference Championship.

Moravian is one of four teams from the East Region ranked with the Greyhounds joining seventh ranked Montclair State (NJ) University, tenth-ranked The College of New Jersey and 25th-ranked Bethany (WV) College. The Greyhounds were ranked 20th in the preseason poll, and the team has been ranked as high as eighth in the nation since the 1998 season.

The Greyhounds have already played eighth-ranked Salisbury (MD) University this season, falling to the Sea Gulls, 4-0. Moravian will also play William Paterson (NJ) University later this spring and the Pioneers received votes in this week’s poll.

Moravian will return to action on Thursday, April 3rd when the team hosts Rowan (NJ) University in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m.


2003 USA Today/NFCA - NCAA Division III Top 25 Poll (released April 2, 2003)

Rank School (first place votes) Record Pts. Previous Ranking
1. Emory (GA) University (8) 19-1 198 3
2. Simpson (IA) College (2) 19-1 189 NR
3. Pacific Lutheran (WA) University 14-1 111 5
4. SUNY Cortland 14-2 167 NR
5. Wheaton (MA) College 16-2 161 14
6. Muskingum (OH) College 16-3 155 6
7. Montclair State (NJ) University 13-1 153 NR
8. Salisbury (MD) University 16-2-1 146 7
9. Lake Forest (IL) College 8-3 136 2
10. The College of New Jersey 15-3 117 NR
11. Alma (MI) College 15-2 116 18
12. Roanoke (VA) College 14-3 99 13
13. Ithaca (NY) College 10-5 96 1
T14. Washington (MO) University 16-4 92 NR
T14. Cal State Hayward 16-9 92 NR
16. Plymouth State (NH) College 11-1 81 NR
17. Illinois Wesleyan University 9-1 69 NR
18. Moravian (PA) College 14-4 48 20
T19. Ohio Northern University 14-3 47 NR
T19. East Texas Baptist University 14-6 47 11
T21. University of La Verne (CA) 20-9 24 17
T21. Central (IA) College 13-1 24 12
T23. Keene State (NH) College 11-4 21 NR
T23. Methodist (NC) College 20-6 21 NR
T25. North Central (IL) College 9-4-1 16 NR
T25. Bethany (WV) College 10-5 16 9

Others receiving votes: SUNY Geneseo 14; Chapman (CA) University 14; Augustana (IL) College 14; University of St. Thomas (MN) 14; Maryville (TN) College 11; Maryville (MO) University 10; William Paterson (NJ) University 4; Coast Guard Academy (CT) 2; St. Norbert (WI) College 1; Webster (MO) College 1.

Others considered: Ursinus College, Rowan (NJ) University, Cabrini College, University of Rutgers-Camden (NJ), SUNY Brockport, SUNY Oneonta, St. John Fisher (NY) College