LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 14, 2021) – A pair of doubleheader sweeps – the latter over a fellow Lone Star Conference heavyweight – propelled Oklahoma Christian back into the top 10 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division II softball poll, released Wednesday.
OC (27-5) jumped three spots to No. 10, the second time this season the Eagles have cracked the top 10 in the NFCA poll, after beating Eastern New Mexico 12-0 and 8-1 on Friday and then-No. 10 West Texas A&M 9-1 and 6-5 on Sunday.
The Eagles were as high as No. 8 in the poll before doubleheader splits at St. Mary's (Texas) and St. Edward's (Texas) last month plummeted them to No. 16, but the Eagles now have won 10 straight games to move back up.
Among LSC teams, OC – which holds outright possession of second place in the league standings – still remains listed third in the NFCA poll, behind league leader No. 3 Texas-Tyler (25-5) and No. 6 Texas A&M-Commerce (23-10). Other ranked LSC teams include No. 12 West Texas A&M (24-10) and No. 17 Texas A&M-Kingsville (22-9), which are 10th and fourth, respectively, in the LSC standings. A sixth LSC team, Lubbock Christian (Texas), received votes in the poll.
OC is the highest-ranked of three Oklahoma teams in the poll, ahead of No. 16 Central Oklahoma and No. 24 Rogers State. UCO and RSU play in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
The NFCA poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches, with two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Augustana (S.D.), at 21-3, received all 16 first-place votes. Valdosta State (Ga.) (25-3) was No. 2, with Texas-Tyler and North Georgia (22-4) tied for third, followed by Indianapolis (Ind.) (25-2), TAMUC, Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) (29-4), Rollins (Fla.) (10-1), Young Harris (Ga.) (22-7) and OC.
This week, the Eagles will visit LSC foes Texas-Permian Basin on Friday and Western New Mexico on Sunday. OC will play its final three regular-season doubleheaders at home, against Texas-Tyler on April 23, Texas A&M-Commerce on April 25 and Cameron on May 1.
