FMU ranked 5th in pre-season softball Top 25 poll

The Francis Marion University women's softball team is ranked fifth in the pre-season National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll, the same spot where the Patriots ended the 2008 season.

The No. 5 position is the highest ranking for the Patriot program since the school moved to NCAA affiliation in 1992.

In 2008, Francis Marion enjoyed its most successful season in 20 years posting a 39-16 record, the third-highest win total in team history.  The Patriots earned their first-ever bid to the NCAA Division II national tournament, won the South Atlantic Regional, and advanced to the Division II national finals (Elite Eight) in Houston, Texas.

Francis Marion returns 14 letterwinners, in­cluding six position starters, from last year's squad.  The Patriots open their season Feb. 7-8 at the early Bird Tournament in Aiken.  FMU will face 12th-ranked Kutztown University (10 a.m.), Erskine College (2 p.m.), and Limestone College (4 p.m.) on the opening day.  

Altogether, four squads that appear on FMU's upcoming 2009 schedule are listed in the pre-season poll.  Lock Haven University (49-8) tops the poll, while defending national champion Humboldt State University (57-18) is ranked second.

The Patriot program's highest national ranking occurred in 1988 when Francis Marion was ranked No. 1 in the pre-season NAIA poll.

NFCA Division II 2009 Pre-Season Top 25 Poll

No          Team                                             RECORD         PTS         LAST

1              Lock Haven (6)                            49-8               388         3

2              Humboldt State (10)                    57-18            374         1

3              St. Edward's                                53-17            358         4

4              Barry                                            44-8             333          7

5              Francis Marion                              39-16           332         T5

6              Ferris State                                  35-18           331         T5

7              LIU-C.W. Post                              48-16           278         8

8              Southeastern Oklahoma              53-12           275         T9

9              Winona State                               38-15           254        15

10           Tampa                                           35-13           229        T12

11           North Georgia                                38-15          228        T12

12           Kutztown                                       48-13          226        18

13           Lewis                                             38-18          177        RV

14           Cal State Stanislaus                      31-23          164        RV

15           Bloomsburg                                    51-11         146         T9

16           St. Leo                                           37-15         123         19

17           Georgian Court                              39-16         120         25

18           Colorado School of Mines               38-19         117         NR

19           Central Missouri                             36-22         112         NR

20           Georgia College & State                40-14            88         NR

21           Angelo State                                  48-12            85        17

22           Alabama-Huntsville                        52-9              74        24

23           Minnesota State Mankato              42-16            67        21

24           Caldwell College                            35-22            66        16

25           Emporia State                                48-17            62          2

Others Receiving Votes: Saginaw Valley 35, Hawaii Pacific 33, Western Oregon 24, Nebraska-Omaha 22, Wayne State (MI) 21, Cal State Dominguez Hills 16, Armstrong Atlantic 11, LeMoyne 10, ST. Mary's (TX) 5, Valdosta State 5, Indianapolis 4, Arkansas Tech 3, Metro State 2, NYIT 1, West Virginia Wesleyan 1