LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - The National Fastpitch Coaches Association released the 2021 preseason coaches poll earlier this week and the Virginia Wesleyan University Marlins were selected fourth in the nation. East Texas Baptist claimed the top spot after going a perfect 15-0 in the shortened 2020 season. They were followed by the 2019 National Champions Texas Lutheran who sit second after going 19-1 before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown spring sports.
VWU went 11-1 in 2020 before the season ended including sweeping No. 21 Salisbury 10-1, 10-1 in back-to-back five inning games. Returning this season are a trio of seniors from the 2020 season using their fifth year of eligibility that they were granted due to the 2020 season being cut short. Donning the Blue and White this season is two-time National pitcher of the year
Hanna Hull,
Madison Glaubke, and
Jessica Goldyn. Filling out the roster we have seven seniors, five juniors, and four student-athletes in both the sophomore and freshman classes.
The 2021 slate has ten games scheduled against ranked teams including six against Top-5 teams in Christopher Newport (4) and Salisbury (2).
The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Final 2020 records are listed, with first-place votes in parentheses. In 2021, schools that are not competing will not be eligible for the poll.
NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll – Feb. 3, 2021
| Rank |
Team |
2020 Record |
Points |
| 1 |
East Texas Baptist (8) |
15-0 |
200 |
| 2 |
Texas Lutheran |
19-1 |
192 |
| 3 |
Christopher Newport |
12-1 |
184 |
| 4 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
11-1 |
176 |
| 5 |
Salisbury |
17-3 |
168 |
| 6 |
Linfield |
12-2 |
160 |
| 7 |
Central (Iowa) |
6-1 |
152 |
| 8 |
Kean |
9-1 |
144 |
| 9 |
DePauw |
6-3 |
136 |
| 10 |
Berry |
12-2 |
128 |
| 11 |
St. John Fisher |
7-3 |
100 |
| 12 |
Transylvania |
9-1 |
96 |
| 13 |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
12-3 |
87 |
| 14 |
St. Olaf |
7-1 |
79 |
| 15 |
Milwaukee School of Engineering |
9-1 |
77 |
| 16 |
Eastern Connecticut State |
2-0 |
69 |
| 17 |
Carthage |
10-2 |
61 |
| 18 |
Birmingham-Southern |
14-4 |
55 |
| 19 |
Moravian |
9-1 |
52 |
| 20 |
Geneseo |
4-1 |
44 |
| 21 |
Wisconsin-La Crosse |
2-2 |
42 |
| 22 |
Trine |
7-3 |
40 |
| 23 |
Randolph-Macon |
8-3-1 |
29 |
| 24 |
Tufts |
0-0 |
23 |
| 25 |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
12-0 |
21 |
Others receiving votes: Maryville (Tenn.) 19, Illinois Wesleyan 17, Ferrum 12, Williams 11, St. Catherine 8, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 7, Manhattanville 6, Mount Union 3, Averett 2.
