NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University junior
Kate Alger was named the National Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday by the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association). Alger, who was 2-0 last week and is now 5-1 so far this season, tossed a five-inning no-hitter on Sunday vs. Marymount University at Captains Park.
The NFCA also released its new weekly poll on Tuesday, and the Captains remain the fifth-ranked team in the country for the second straight week.
Keith Parr's squad was slotted eighth in the pre-season poll from the NFCA.
Alger, from Staunton, Va., threw her five-inning no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday at Captains Park in an 11-0 CNU victory. She struck out six Saints and allowed just two base runners (one on a hit by pitch, and the other on an error). It marked the 33rd no-hitter or perfect game in the 40-year history of CNU softball. Alger threw two no-hitters last year, and also a perfect game vs. Roanoke in the NCAA Tournament.
In her other start last week, Alger threw six shutout innings on Friday in a victory over Elmira College. She yielded just one hit, and struck out 13 in a 6-0 CNU triumph.
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Christopher Newport, now 11-1, travels to Virginia Beach on Friday to take on Virginia Wesleyan University. The doubleheader will begin at 2:30 p.m.
The complete Top 25 from the NFCA:
NFCA Division III Top 25 Softball Coaches Poll – March 12, 2024
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
2024 Record |
Previous |
| 1 |
Trine (10) |
250 |
12-1 |
1 |
| 2 |
Salisbury |
240 |
5-0 |
2 |
| 3 |
Linfield |
230 |
4-0 |
3 |
| 4 |
East Texas Baptist |
220 |
11-1 |
4 |
| 5 |
Christopher Newport |
210 |
11-1 |
5 |
| 6 |
Berry |
200 |
17-2 |
6 |
| 7 |
Case Western Reserve |
190 |
8-1 |
8 |
| 8 |
Bethel |
180 |
8-2 |
11 |
| 9 |
Transylvania |
170 |
7-1 |
9 |
| 10 |
Randolph-Macon |
160 |
3-0-1 |
10 |
| 11 |
Rowan |
150 |
6-4 |
7 |
| 12 |
Belhaven |
140 |
12-3 |
12 |
| 13 |
Virginia Wesleyan |
130 |
5-3 |
13 |
| 14 |
Tufts |
120 |
0-0 |
14 |
| 15 |
Texas Lutheran |
110 |
6-0 |
15 |
| 16 |
Moravian |
100 |
2-3 |
16 |
| 17 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
90 |
0-0 |
17 |
| 18 |
Pfeiffer |
80 |
16-0 |
20 |
| 19 |
Lebanon Valley |
70 |
8-2 |
19 |
| 20 |
Huntingdon |
60 |
15-1 |
NR |
| 21 |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
50 |
7-0 |
24 |
| 22 |
Central (Iowa) |
30 |
5-4 |
23 |
| 23 |
Redlands |
23 |
12-3 |
21 |
| 24 |
Calvin |
21 |
9-1 |
NR |
| 25 |
Saint Mary's (Minn.) |
14 |
12-2 |
NR |
Others receiving votes: Rochester 5, Chapman 4 and The College of New Jersey 3.
Dropped out: Coe, Concordia (Wis.) and Millikin.
