LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For the seventh week in a row, the Trine University softball team is second in the nation according the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) GoRout Division III Coaches Poll. They are also second in the crucial NCAA National Power Index (NPI) Rankings.
The Thunder retained 240 points to hold their spot in the NFCA Poll. Undefeated Virginia Wesleyan University, who improved to 36-0 this past week, continues their hold as the undisputed top team in the country. The next two spots changed from last week's poll with Saint Mary's (Minn.) University moving into third and East Texas Baptist University jumping to fourth. Texas Lutheran University held serve in fifth. Former number three, Linfield University, dropped to eighth after a 3-1 series loss to Pacific Lutheran University who entered the poll in 21st.
In the second edition of the NCAA NPI Rankings Trine sits in second, unchanged from the initial edition of the rankings. The NPI is used to determine seeding and at-large selections to the upcoming NCAA Division III Softball Championship tournament. There are 22 at-large selections to the tournament and in 2025 the last team selected was 45th in the final NPI.
Last week, the Thunder had four convincing wins against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) members, Saint Mary's (Ind.) College and Albion College. They took down the Belles with 17-2 and 6-3 scores on Thursday before hosting the Britons on Saturday and handing them 13-3 and 19-1 losses.
Trine is currently 23-1 overall and 8-0 in MIAA play. They will host The University of Olivet on Thursday, April 17 and Calvin University on Saturday, April 25. Game one on Thursday I scheduled for 3 p.m.
