LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) released their preseason rankings for the 2024 DII softball season on Tuesday, with Northwest Nazarene earning 22 points to grab the 25th and final position in the coaches poll.

North Georgia led the rankings with all 16 first place votes after their 2023 national title. Grand Valley State was second, followed by Central Oklahoma, West Texas A&M, and Nova Southeastern. Cal State San Marcos is the top West Region program in the poll at seventh, followed by Concordia in a tie for 14th and NNU in 25th. The Nighthawks are the only GNAC school in the top 25.

NNU has received votes in the national poll multiple times in the past few years, but this is the first time that the Nighthawks have been in the Top 25 since also ranking 25th on April 28, 2021.

The 2023 season was likely the best yet for Wagner and the Nighthawks, as NNU set program records for overall wins (39-17 record) and conference wins (21-3 mark in the GNAC). NNU won the GNAC regular season title by six games and flew to the GNAC tournament title with a 3-0 mark at the tourney with just three runs allowed in the three victories. The Nighthawks then advanced to NCAA Regionals for the fourth time in the last five full seasons, where they came as close as could be to their first NCAA Super Regional appearance, winning three games at the regional before falling in the title game.

The Nighthawks figure to keep the momentum rolling, as they return four All-GNAC players from last year (Sidney Booth, Abigail Gagnon, Clarissa Moreno, Jami Obringer) and six starters with those four joined by Charlotte Forniss and Kellcie Adams. Three-year starting infielder and 2021 All-GNAC performer Emma Mulligan also returns after missing 2023 due to injury.

NNU is scheduled to begin the 2024 season on February 1 at Biola, followed by four games at the Concordia Kickoff Classic over the next two days that concludes with a marquee matchup against No. 16 Oklahoma Christian.