LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After the East Stroudsburg University softball team won a program-best 46 wins and made it back to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and third time in four years,
the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced on Tuesday afternoon that the Warriors were selected No. 16 in the 2025 NFCA/GoRout DII Top-25 Coaches Preseason Poll.
For the second consecutive year, ESU is the lone PSAC team listed in the preseason top-25 rankings.
Three of ESU's four All-PSAC East selections are back, including last year's PSAC East Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year, sophomore pitcher
Sarah Davenport; junior utility player
Delaney Ridgell (PSAC East First Team); and senior outfielder
Taylor Lipkins (PSAC East Second Team).
Davenport, a D2CCA/NFCA All-America First Team member, etched her name in the Warrior record books, setting four program records in her first collegiate season. She set program records in strikeouts (322), strikeouts per 7 innings (12.11), appearances (42), batting average against (.188), and saves (eight). Davenport's 25 wins were second in program history, and she was also fourth in innings pitched (186.2) and had the fourth-best ERA since 1985 (1.31).
Ridgell, who was named a D2CCA All-Region First Team member in the offseason, closed the season batting .355 with 66 hits, 16 extra-base hits, and 30 RBIs. She tied for second in the PSAC with five triples. As a catcher, Ridgell threw out seven of 12 runners. She finished the season by reaching base in each of her final seven contests.
Lipkins entered the postseason with a team-best 13-game hitting streak. Her 78 hits broke ESU's single-season record and ranked fifth in the PSAC. She hit a team-best .370 with a .419 on-base percentage and ranked fifth in the PSAC with 24 stolen bases. In the outfield, Lipkins posted a .976 fielding percentage with 77 putouts and four assists. She was featured on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays for a diving catch against Mansfield.
The balanced Warrior offense had seven players hit more than 40 hits in the 63-game season and ESU closed the 2024 season at No. 18 in the NFCA Top-25 Coaches Poll.
The Warriors open the 2025 in Florida once again as they will Eckerd (February 5), NCAA Regional qualifier Nova Southeastern who received votes(February 7), Barry (February 8 and 10), Colorado School of Mines (February 8) and Lynn (February 10).
After Florida, the Warriors will return to Creekview Park for a 12-game homestand against Felician on February 19, NCAA National Championships qualifier and No.5 Wilmington on February 21, Seton Hill on February 23, Bloomfield on February 25, Jefferson on February 26, and Dominican on March 12. In total, ESU will host 28 home regular-season games at Creekview Park.
For the full schedule, visit:
esuwarriors.com/sports/softball/schedule.
2025 NFCA/GoRout Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll
January 21 (Preseason)
|
Rank
|
School
|
Points
|
|
1
|
UT Tyler (16)
|
400
|
|
2
|
Western Washington
|
384
|
|
3
|
Indianapolis
|
362
|
|
4
|
Lenoir-Rhyne
|
356
|
|
5
|
Wilmington*
|
325
|
|
6
|
AUM
|
317
|
|
7
|
Augustana
|
310
|
|
8
|
North Georgia
|
273
|
|
9
|
Rogers State
|
256
|
|
10
|
Tampa
|
255
|
|
11
|
Angelo State
|
227
|
|
12
|
Mississippi College
|
213
|
|
13
|
West Texas A&M
|
192
|
|
14
|
Francis Marion
|
187
|
|
15
|
Cal State Dominguez Hills
|
182
|
|
16
|
East Stroudsburg
|
159
|
|
17
|
Trevecca Nazarene
|
142
|
|
18
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
123
|
|
19
|
Wingate
|
106
|
|
20
|
Southern Nazarene
|
86
|
|
21
|
Colorado Mesa
|
84
|
|
22
|
Lewis
|
49
|
|
23
|
Cal State San Marcos
|
47
|
|
24
|
Oklahoma Christian
|
46
|
|
25
|
Central Oklahoma
|
30
|
Receiving Votes: Nova Southeastern (27)*, Pittsburg State (24), Kutztown (21)*, Grand Valley State (10), Pace (7).
The 2025 NFCA/Go Rout Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll Committee. The committee consists of 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA's eight regions.
* – ESU regular season opponent
