Northwestern College earned votes in the fourth edition of the NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 poll released Tuesday by the national office.
The Red Raiders totaled 10 votes in the April 24 edition, one of the two teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) to be recognized in the national poll (Morningside-#23). This is the third straight poll that Northwestern has received votes. They are currently in second place in the GPAC with a 13-3 record, 28-7 overall.
Georgia Gwinnett holds down the top spot for the fourth straight poll, owning a 24-game win streak and a 43-2 overall record. Marian (Ind.) is second, followed by Science & Arts (Okla.), Campbellsville (Ky.) and Oklahoma City.
2018 NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Poll No. 4 (April 24, 2018)
| RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2018 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Georgia Gwinnett (19) | 43-2 | 529 |
| 2 | 2 | Marian (Ind.) | 36-2 | 504 |
| 3 | 3 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 44-3 | 501 |
| 4 | 4 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 39-6 | 473 |
| 5 | 5 | Oklahoma City | 41-6 | 469 |
| 6 | 6 | Hope International (Calif.) | 43-9 | 426 |
| 7 | 8 | Vanguard (Calif.) | 48-8 | 412 |
| 8 | 9 | Southern Oregon | 38-11 | 402 |
| 9 | 7 | Mobile (Ala.) | 36-11 | 390 |
| 10 | 11 | Indiana Wesleyan | 41-8 | 386 |
| 11 | 9 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 35-10 | 341 |
| 12 | 13 | Corban (Ore.) | 31-10 | 333 |
| 13 | 18 | Faulkner (Ala.) | 42-8 | 323 |
| 14 | 14 | Thomas (Ga.) | 32-12 | 304 |
| 15 | 16 | Jamestown (N.D.) | 33-6 | 303 |
| 16 | 19 | St. Francis (Ill.) | 26-6 | 271 |
| 17 | T22 | Grand View (Iowa) | 33-6 | 267 |
| 18 | 12 | William Carey (Miss.) | 31-13 | 241 |
| 19 | 17 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 31-7 | 223 |
| 20 | T22 | Oregon Tech | 31-11 | 187 |
| 21 | RV | Southeastern (Fla.) | 38-13 | 150 |
| 22 | RV | Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) | 26-11 | 138 |
| 23 | T25 | Morningside (Iowa) | 23-10 | 123 |
| 24 | 20 | Warner (Fla.) | 31-12 | 119 |
| 25 | T25 | Baker (Kan.) | 31-9 | 106 |
Others Receiving Votes: Rio Grande (Ohio) 92; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 79; Truett-McConnell (Ga.) 75; Valley City State (N.D.) 57; Georgetown (Ky.) 39; Lyon (Ark.) 29; Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) 23; Aquinas (Mich.) 12; Simpson (Calif.) 12;William Jessup (Calif.) 11; Northwestern (Iowa) 10; Tabor (Kan.) 9; Columbia (Mo.) 4.
Dropped Out: No. 15 Columbia (Mo.), No. 21 Brenau (Ga.), No. 24 Ottawa (Kan.).
