LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For the first time this season, the Salisbury University softball team is Queen of the Hill in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III rankings. The Sea Gulls
ascended to the No. 1 ranking in Tuesday's weekly Top 25 coaches' poll.
SU earned 250 points and all 10 first-place votes in the seventh poll of the regular season. Linfield (240) and East Texas Baptist (230) each moved up a slot to second and third, respectively. Formerly top-ranked Trine (220) slid to fourth, while Berry (Ga.) [210] rounds out the top five.
The Sea Gulls climb reach the peak of the poll riding a 17-game winning streak and boasting a 22-1 overall record after sweeping doubleheaders against Ursinus and York (Pa.) over the past weekend. SU's winning streak matches its longest since 2022 and could soon rival a 26-gamer the team went on in 2013.
Salisbury returns to No. 1 after spending 10 weeks there in 2023. The Sea Gulls climbed to the top slot in the first regular season rankings last March and held the position all the way through the national championship series. SU has now spent 13 consecutive calendar months as the first- or second-ranked team in Division III softball.
The Sea Gulls will play their first games as the nation's top-ranked team on Saturday with a doubleheader against Mary Washington. First pitch from Margie Knight Stadium is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. – half an hour later than its original start time – with Senior Day festivities to come before first pitch.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 197 conference championships, and 45 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
