LOUISVILLE, KY. -- For the first time this season and second-time in program history, the East Stroudsburg University softball team is nationally ranked, earning the No. 25 ranking in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The Warriors (26-4, 3-3 PSAC East) have received votes the past two polls and earned a its first-ever national ranking in 2021 after finishing runner-up in the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional Championships.
This season, the Warriors' pitching staff as a whole has ranked among the best in the PSAC and the country, leading the conference and ranking 10th nationally in ERA (1.63), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.84) and WHIP (0.92).
Individually, the duo of Leigh Ann Jenkins (first, 1.02) and Katie Zaun (1.46) rank among the top-three pitchers in the conference in ERA, hits allowed per seven innings, strikeout-to-walk ratio, strikeouts per seven innings, WHIP and walks allowed per seven innings.
ESU's offense has been paced by leadoff hitter Brooke McKeown's .409 batting average (8th in PSAC) and 21 RBIs, while Warriors' all-time RBI leader Ashley Spencer has totaled 29 this season to lead ESU.
The Warriors are back in action this weekend, traveling to West Chester in a rematch of the 2021 NCAA DII Atlantic Regional Championship final. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
NFCA Division II Coaches Poll
|
Rank
|
School
|
Points
|
2022 Record
|
Prev. Ranking
|
|
1
|
UT Tyler (16)
|
400
|
34-4
|
1
|
|
2
|
Rogers State
|
382
|
35-3
|
3
|
|
3
|
Valdosta State
|
365
|
27-5
|
4
|
|
4
|
Cal State San Marcos
|
343
|
33-3
|
8
|
|
5
|
Indianapolis
|
341
|
34-4
|
5
|
|
6
|
Auburn Montgomery
|
300
|
30-6
|
9
|
|
7
|
Concordia Irvine
|
296
|
38-5
|
2
|
|
8
|
Texas A&M-Kingsville
|
288
|
35-8
|
7
|
|
9
|
Tampa
|
282
|
25-9
|
6
|
|
10
|
Central Oklahoma
|
266
|
34-6
|
10
|
|
11
|
Angelo State
|
230
|
32-8
|
11
|
|
12
|
North Georgia
|
214
|
34-11
|
16
|
|
13
|
Augustana
|
207
|
26-7
|
14
|
|
14
|
Lubbock Christian
|
186
|
33-7
|
15
|
|
15
|
Lincoln Memorial
|
182
|
32-8
|
12
|
|
16
|
Oklahoma Christian
|
151
|
32-8
|
19
|
|
17
|
Southern Indiana
|
124
|
30-8
|
20
|
|
18
|
Embry-Riddle
|
107
|
21-9
|
23
|
|
19
|
Texas A&M-Commerce
|
105
|
33-11
|
13
|
|
20
|
Anderson
|
100
|
31-5
|
21
|
|
20
|
Minnesota State
|
100
|
26-10
|
18
|
|
22
|
West Florida
|
61
|
22-11
|
17
|
|
23
|
West Texas A&M
|
41
|
25-12
|
22
|
|
24
|
Grand Valley State
|
38
|
26-5
|
24
|
|
25
|
East Stroudsburg
|
27
|
26-4
|
RV
|
