PELLA-The Central College softball team tops the list as the No. 1 team in Region IX in this week’s NCAA Division III regional rankings released Wednesday.
The initial regional rankings last week listed the top-seven teams in alphabetical order. This week’s edition places the teams in order and Central is at the top with a 26-7 record. American Rivers Conference foes Coe College (27-9) and Wartburg College (22-12) are second and third, respectively.
Bethel University (Minn.), Saint Mary’s University (Minn.), The College of Saint Benedict (Minn.) complete the seven-team list.
Central has a 7-2 record against the other six schools on the list. In addition to sweeping Coe, Simpson and Wartburg in American Rivers, Central split a March doubleheader with St. Benedict. The Dutch lost to Bethel at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Georgia early in the year.
The Dutch (26-7) are ranked No. 20 in the NFCA Division III Coaches Poll.
The regional rankings are produced by the NCAA Division III Softball Championships Committee, which selects the 62-team national tournament field. The field will be announced Monday, May 13 at noon via ncaa.com. Central, has received 31 NCAA tournament bids since 1986, reaching the NCAA finals 13 times and capturing four national championships.
