NFCA Division II Top-25 - March 17, 2021

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For the first time in program history, Northwest Nazarene softball is receiving votes in the latest NFCA Division II national poll.

NNU is one of seven teams receiving votes and sitting just outside of the top-25. Western Washington is also receiving votes, and is the only other GNAC school present in the rankings. Across the West Region, the only other school to make an appearance is Concordia-Irvine out of the PacWest, who is ranked 10th in the country.

The Nighthawks are off to a fantastic start to the 2021 season, holding a 10-2 record after their first three weekends of play. NNU opened the season with 3-1 series victories over Eastern Oregon and Whitworth before sweeping aside Montana State Billings in four games last weekend. NNU is now set to open conference play this Friday and Saturday by hosting Saint Martin's.

Through the 12 games, NNU leads the GNAC and ranks sixth across all of Division II with a .416 batting average. The Nighthawks are also eighth in doubles per game (2.33), fifth in on-base percentage (.514), and 10th in both slugging percentage (.624) and scoring average (8.75 runs per game). 

Individually, NNU has five of the top eight hitters in the GNAC in terms of batting average, led at the top by Brittany Genuardi, who is also 15th nationally with a .621 mark. She is also fifth in the country with 1.25 walks per game and eighth with an on-base percentage of .739. Ivy Hommel (2nd, .537), Abigail Gagnon (3rd, .526), Maia McNicoll (5th, .464), and Madison Strickler (8th, .445) are the other Nighthawks near the top of the conference batting average rankings.

The 2021 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the NCAA's eight regions. Records reflect games played through March 14.