Friday, June 3, 2005
MORAVIAN SOFTBALL SQUAD TIED FOR 15TH IN FINAL NFCA DIVISION III
TOP 25 POLL OF 2005 SEASON
STARKVILLE, MS --- The Moravian College softball team, which participated in the postseason
for the 11th straight season this spring, finished the 2005 season tied for 15th in the
National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25 Final Poll released Thursday.
Eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions vote on the
NFCA Division III Top 25 poll.
The Greyhounds, who were tied for 19th at the beginning of the postseason, received a
total of 81 points and are tied with Keene State (NH) College. The University of St. Thomas
(MN) holds down the top spot with 200 points and all eight first-place votes after the
Tommies won their second straight NCAA Division III National Championship.
Moravian, which was second in the NFCA Preseason Top 25 Poll back in February, played
three nationally ranked teams this season, falling to second-ranked Salisbury (MD) University,
3-1 in nine innings and 6-2 in the NCAA Regional finals, and to #8 William Paterson (NJ)
University, 3-0 & 5-4 in a non-conference doubleheader. The Greyhounds split a pair
of games with #20 Roanoke (VA) College during Moravian’s eight consecutive NCAA Division
III Tournament berth, falling 2-1 in nine innings and winning 5-0.
Moravian, under the direction of head coach John Byrne, was 37-8 overall
and 13-1 in Commonwealth Conference action this season. Coach Byrne has
a career record of 370-125 in his 12th season at Moravian. The Greyhounds have also won
five straight Commonwealth Conference Tournament Championships and six consecutive Commonwealth
Conference titles.
The highest the Greyhound have ever been ranked in the poll was last season when Moravian
held the top spot in the country for four weeks before finishing the 2004 season as the
NCAA Division III National Runner-Up.
2005 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top
25 Poll
Records as of May 25, 2005
Rank |
School (First Place votes) |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
1 |
University of St. Thomas (MN) (8) |
43-6 |
200 |
T12 |
2 |
Salisbury (MD) University |
44-6 |
192 |
2 |
3 |
Chapman (CA) University |
36-9 |
183 |
3 |
4 |
Ithaca (NY) College |
31-13 |
173 |
NR |
5 |
Muskingum (OH) College |
42-7 |
165 |
5 |
6 |
Alma (MI) College |
33-10 |
158 |
T19 |
7 |
Washington University in St. Louis |
47-3 |
150 |
1 |
8 |
William Paterson (NJ) University |
37-11 |
148 |
14 |
9 |
Williams (MA) College |
28-14 |
142 |
NR |
10 |
Aurora (IL) University |
40-6-1 |
115 |
24 |
11 |
University of Rutgers-Camden |
35-8-1 |
114 |
4 |
12 |
University of Redlands (OR) |
31-8 |
100 |
9 |
13 |
Louisiana College |
34-11 |
95 |
NR |
14 |
Western New England College |
39-6 |
83 |
15 |
T15 |
Moravian College |
37-8 |
81 |
T19 |
T15 |
Keene State (NH) College |
34-8 |
81 |
NR |
17 |
St. Mary’s (MN) University |
37-12 |
68 |
NR |
18 |
North Central (IL) College |
36-12 |
64 |
T12 |
19 |
Trinity (TX) University |
28-20 |
50 |
NR |
20 |
Roanoke (VA) College |
33-12 |
48 |
21 |
21 |
Mount Union (OH) College |
30-9 |
45 |
18 |
22 |
Coe (IA) College |
37-6 |
31 |
6 |
23 |
Endicott (MA) College |
35-4-1 |
25 |
7 |
T24 |
King’s (PA) College |
34-12 |
20 |
NR |
T24 |
SUNY Cortland |
31-11 |
20 |
22 |
Others receiving votes:
Linfield (OR) College 14; Union (NY) College 12; University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 11; Emory (GA)
University 5; Babson (MA) College 3; Ursinus (PA) College 2; Cal State East Bay 1; Ferrum (VA) College
1
Dropped out:
No. 8 Union (NY) College; No. 10 Emory (GA) University; No. 11 Linfield (OR) College; No. 16 University
of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; No. 17 Babson (MA) College; No. 23 Tufts (MA) University; no. 25. College
of St. Scholastica (MN)
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