For the first time in history, the softball team has been ranked in the NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Saints debuted at No. 25 in the poll released on April 20. The Saints own the NAIA’s longest winning streak at 21.
The Saints have received votes since the first season of competition in 2010. Their most votes were 21 during that first year. In 2012, the Saints received 20 votes, and in 2013, the most votes they received was 44. In the following year, the Saints received 57 votes in 2014, and in 2015, the most votes the Saints received was 88. In 2016, the team received 10 votes. The last time the Saints received votes was in 2018 with 80 votes.
The only other Red River Athletic Conference team in the poll is Texas A&M University-Texarkana, which is ranked 13. The conference poll is as follows:
1. Texas A&M University-Texarkana (20-4/37-8)
2. Our Lady of the Lake University (20-4/37-8)
3. University of Houston-Victoria (16-6/23-10)
4. Texas A&M University-San Antonio (13-7/20-21)
5. Louisiana Christian University (13-7/24-16)
6. LSU Alexandria (10-10/13-22)
7. Xavier University of Louisiana (12-12/18-25)
8. Huston-Tillotson University (9-13/15-19)
9. Jarvis Christian College (8-12/20-19)
10. University of the Southwest (3-21/6-29)
11. Texas College (0-24/1-27)
Poll Methodology
- The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and the Continental Athletic Conference (Independents).
- The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 30 points for each first-place vote, 29 for second-place and so on through the list.
- The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appear on.
- Teams that receive only one point on the ballot are not considered “receiving votes”
- The frequency of the polls is bi-weekly. This policy was approved by the National Administrative Council (NAC) prior to the 2016-17 academic season. This change allows raters the opportunity to consider a larger body of work between rating periods.
- For the complete Top 25 calendar, click here.
2022 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll Four (April 20, 2022)
| RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL [1st Place Votes] | RECORD | FINAL POINTS |
| 1 | 3 | Mobile (Ala.) [11] | 37-1 | 518 |
| 2 | 1 | Oklahoma City [7] | 31-4 | 511 |
| 3 | 2 | Oregon Tech [1] | 38-7 | 495 |
| 4 | 4 | Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) | 39-3 | 489 |
| 5 | 5 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 37-6 | 461 |
| 6 | 7 | William Carey (Miss.) | 37-6 | 441 |
| 7 | 6 | College of Idaho | 35-8 | 425 |
| 8 | 8 | Indiana Wesleyan | 35-6 | 409 |
| 9 | 11 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 27-4 | 388 |
| 10 | 9 | Southern Oregon | 38-10 | 383 |
| 11 | 12 | Grand View (Iowa) | 30-5 | 347 |
| 12 | 10 | Coastal Georgia | 34-7 | 335 |
| 13 | 13 | Texas A&M Texarkana | 32-8 | 330 |
| 14 | 16 | Aquinas (Mich.) | 25-5 | 286 |
| 15 | 14 | Georgia Gwinnett | 29-15 | 276 |
| 15 | 17 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 31-11 | 276 |
| 17 | 18 | Marian (Ind.) | 26-7 | 249 |
| 18 | 20 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 36-7 | 242 |
| 19 | 21 | Columbia (Mo.) | 22-10 | 191 |
| 20 | 19 | Madonna (Mich.) | 20-4 | 178 |
| 21 | 24 | Tennessee Wesleyan | 30-5 | 162 |
| 22 | RV | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 28-13 | 138 |
| 23 | 24 | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 22-6 | 134 |
| 24 | 23 | Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) | 29-3 | 130 |
| 25 | RV | Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) | 37-8 | 122 |
Dropped from the Top 25: Ottawa (Kan.), Cumberlands (Ky.)
Others Receiving Votes: Ottawa (Kan.) 120, Cumberlands (Ky.) 105, William Jessup (Calif.) 77, Midland (Neb.) 45, Vanguard (Calif.) 31, Eastern Oregon 25, Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 24, Bellevue (Neb.) 10, Oklahoma Wesleyan 7, Cottey (Mo.) 7, Middle Georgia State 6, Rio Grande (Ohio) 5, Webber International (Fla.) 4, Mount Marty (S.D.) 4.